A Man and His Boy
by Torahamutaro-chan
Summary: An unexpected new companion changes Tom Riddle in more ways than one. Slash fic. TR/HP
1. Prologue

This is an idea I came up with while reading Phoenixmaiden13's Kitty series and I thought I should write it down before it floated away. So here's the prologue. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It was a surprisingly sunny day in London and despite the heavy atmosphere of the war; people were going about their business as usual. Adults went to work while children played in the street. A seven-year-old Tom Riddle stared down at the scene from his room window. Some of the children from the orphanage were playing tag in the shabby front yard. They were smiling and laughing and running about. Of course they didn't ask him to join in. They were all too afraid to even speak to him. And he made it seem like that's what he wanted; total solitude, while in actuality, he wanted to run too. He wanted to smile and laugh and play with the other children. Of course he wouldn't get to. He was far too different from them. And humans don't like different. Deciding he should at least get outside on the one sunny day of the summer, he grabbed a book at random and made his way down the stairs and out the front doors. His housemates made a path for him, avoiding eye contact, as usual. They didn't want to be "in his way". He went over to the little tree in the corner of the yard, sitting beneath what little shade the scarce flimsy leaves could provide, and looked down at his book. He saw it was Shakespeare and opened up to his favorite play; Macbeth. Witches and spells and manipulative women, it was most entertaining. He was half way through Act II when a loud yipping noise distracted him. Looking up in the direction of the sound he saw a young boy around his age playing with a small puppy. Tom watched through the fence as the boy tossed a small red rubber ball a short distance ahead of him and the puppy ran after it, taking the ball in its mouth and bringing it back to its master. The game went on for a good half hour, Tom watching in fascination the whole while. He was in awe of the relationship between the two. The loyalty and…love. That was the day he decided he wanted a dog.

That was also the first year he'd ever written to Santa Clause. It wasn't an ordinary letter though; it was more like a negotiation request. A dog for whatever the fat man wanted. Of course, like every year previous, he received only the customary single gift from Mrs. Cole. While she failed to deliver a live dog, she was able to give him a book on the canine family. He spent the whole rest of the day reading up on dogs and, even more fascinating, wolves.

Years later, while attending Hogwarts, his liking for the creatures caused a very interesting event to take place. His focus switched once again to wolves until his plans for world domination got in the way of his interest in the amazingly smart and loyal creatures. It would be decades before his interest was once again peeked by a very special stray.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Okay, that's all I've got so far. It's short and not all that great, but knowing me I'll come back and rewrite it in a few weeks, or months, depending on my level of laziness. I hope you enjoyed it. Review if you wish to comment.


	2. Unexpected Saviour

6/29/09

Here is chapter one. I actually wrote this before I wrote the prologue and really like this better. I suppose that's because I wrote the prologue while my depression was really bad. Anyway, I decided this would serve better as a chapter, seeing as it just starts out of the blue.

As for thank yous… Come on. One review? Just one? I'm normally not picky because I get at least three, but _one_? It almost makes me want to discontinue writing when I get such a weak critical response. Thank you, **Lord Loveless**, for your consideration. Other readers, written feedback would be most appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I did invent the Vire Clan.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Harry Potter was in distress. Here he lay on a leafy forest floor, at the mercy of two rather large Death Eaters. They laughed heartily as they kicked at him with their sharp leather boots, enjoying the yips of pain that escaped his mouth. Yes, yips. For Harry Potter wasn't quite himself at the moment. In fact, he doubted the two men even knew who he was. Harry was currently in his animagus form and was in too much pain to morph back and use his wand. He wasn't aware if he could move properly or how far he'd get if he tried to flee, so he simply lay there, waiting for the men to tire of beating him. Hopefully it would be soon; his vision was starting to dim. He closed his eyes tiredly.

"Hey, I think the mutt's passed out," one of the men said, laughing.

Opening one eye, Harry saw a dark grin appear on the other man's face. He shivered. He heard a light click and saw a glint of light on a sharp blade.

'_No…_' He couldn't move.

The man bent over, picking Harry up by the scruff of the neck. It hurt, considering the amount of weight that small area of flesh was holding up. The man brought the knife to the flesh of his right shoulder, quickly piercing it and making its way beneath his fur. '_It hurts! It hurts!_' The pain was too much. Soon he would loose consciousness. '_Help.._'

"Marten! Petterson! What do you think you're doing?!" came a harsh, cold voice from behind the Death Eaters. Both men froze in fear, and Harry soon learned why. Standing in the moonlight, pale as death himself, was Lord Voldemort. If he had any energy left, Harry would have bolted out of the forest fast as lightning. However, as it was, he couldn't. All he could do was stare in terror as his worst enemy of nearly five years made his way ever closer to him. A long, low whimper escaped him and Voldemort's head snapped to stare at him. Their eyes locked momentarily and Voldemort's narrowed. He looked up at his Death Eaters and raised his wand at them. "Crucio!" Both men writhed in agony. Harry hit the ground hard, having been released from his captor's grip. Another whimper as he tried in vain to rise and flee; his body was too weak. He lay there a few moments, barely registering the yelling going on above him.

"How dare you fool around when you're supposed to be patrolling the area for the Vire Clan?! How **dare** you slack on your duties?! Crucio!"

More screams. Panting. The yelling voice again.

"Get back to your posts, **IMMEDIATELY**!!!!"

"Yes, My Lord!"

Harry heard rushed footsteps crunching the fallen leaves, then silence. He felt hands on him and he jumped slightly when they gently stroked through his raven fur. '_Nm… That feels nice._' His tail thumped softly against the ground. '_Ow._' He stopped. A hand stroked the scruffy appendage and a pleased sound escaped his throat He had completely forgotten who was petting him. Before he knew it he was being levitated away from the clearing and into the thick woods. The darkness was calm and relaxing; he liked the dark. Soon it was all he saw as he drifted off into sweet nothingness.

XxXxX

Lord Voldemort was in a very bad mood. Not only had negotiations with the Vire Clan not gone well, but also they had fled their territory to avoid being bothered by "those stupid wizards." He let out a deep-throated growl. How dare they ignore him?! HIM! Lord Voldemort! "I'll get them on my side yet," he murmured as he made his way through the thick forest in search of the creatures. He and his Death Eaters had searched the woods for hours and would continue until they were found. "The vampires will greatly increase our strength," he had shouted at them. And it was true. With the largest vampire clan in Europe on his side, along with the werewolves and other dark creatures he had already persuaded to join him, his army would be invincible. He knew that with his followers searching diligently for them, he would soon be able to confront the head vampire and hopefully force him into submission. Or so he thought. It wasn't long before the Dark Lord came upon two of his men goofing about in a clearing. This only served to enrage him further. "Marten! Petterson! What do you think you're doing?!"

His men froze, slowly turning to look at him, fear obvious on both their faces. Oh how he loved that look, but he would save the memory for later pleasure. Right now he had to deal with the slackers appropriately. He removed his wand from his robes and was about to go into one of his threatening speeches when he heard a soft whimper. He snapped his head in the direction of the noise and stared at a large black dog, limp in Marten's hand. For a moment his scarlet eyes met with the haunting green orbs of the animal. A strangely familiar feeling entered the Dark Lord's chest at the pain he saw in those eyes and he turned his attention back to the two who had done this. "Crucio!" The dog dropped to the ground next to his men. Through the screams he heard it whimper again and saw it try to push itself up, but to no avail. It was too weak to even stand. At this point Voldemort was livid, but decided to use a different explanation as to why he had punished his men.

"How dare you fool around when you're supposed to be patrolling the area for the Vire Clan?! How **dare** you slack on your duties?! Crucio!"

Both men writhed on the floor in agony, their screams and pleas falling on deaf ears. After a few minutes he released the curse, glaring down at the pathetic beings before him. "Get back to your posts, **IMMEDIATELY**!!!!"

"Yes, My Lord!" both men shouted as they tried their best to rise from the forest floor. After successfully standing, both men ran as fast as they could away from their Lord.

Voldemort listened, making sure they were both far enough away before he knelt down to examine the injured animal. The dog had been badly beaten and there was blood coming from a wound on its shoulder. Upon closer examination, he saw it to be a knife wound. The poor beast barely flinched as he gently stroked his hands through its soft fur. He watched as its tail began to wag softly for a few moments, and then stop. '_They probably got at that too,_' he thought, stroking the long furry appendage, trying to sooth the pain. It made a pleased, deep grumbling noise. '_It won't last the night if I leave it here._' He stood from his crouched position and removed his wand once again. He muttered a levitation charm and watched as the dog rose from the ground into the air. He then began to walk slowly, keeping it slightly ahead of him as he made his way through the dark forest, sending a message through the Mark that the mission had ended for the night.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

There you have it. Let me know what you think (preferably through words).

No comments on grammatical errors, they will be fixed later. (I often overlook them when first posting.)


	3. Weird Awakening

8/2/09

Okay, I'm frustrated. My Microsoft Word locked me out so I've been trying to find a way to hack back in but it looks like I'm gonna have to buy a new one. It stinks because the programs for Mac cost more. Ugh... Anyway, I've swallowed my pride and am now using Text Edit (I was sick of not being able to update), so it may be a little more sucky because of this tiny fact. Just bare with me until I can buy a new MW.

Thanks to those who reviewed and added me to their various lists.

Disclaimer in previous chapters. Also, Mrs. Malfoy is OOC in this story, but I like the way I've written her, and Voldemort is more as he was when he was young, darkly charming and polite with a hint of madness. Enjoy.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxX

Sunlight flitted on pale eyelids, bringing the young owner of said appendages out of his slumber. Harry groaned as he drifted slowly out of dreamland and into the conscious world. Carefully opened his eyes to avoid the harsh glare of the sun, he stared blearily around him. He realized two things immediately; one, he wasn't at Hogwarts, and two, he was naked. Discerning this fact, he quickly moved to find something to cover himself with only to be overcome by a wave of pain. Every muscle ached and he felt a sharp, tearing pain in his right shoulder. Groaning softly, he tried to push himself up. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he took in his surroundings more carefully and soon discovered himself to be on a large cushion on the floor. '_What the..?_' Looking up he saw large, lavish furniture and a very comfortable looking bed nearby. '_Where is this?_' Before he could think more on his situation, he heard soft footsteps treading outside. Without a wand and barely able to move, Harry did the first defensive thing he could think of. He slowly and painfully morphed into his other form, completing the transformation mere seconds before the doors to the room were opened. He looked up at the humans entering and panicked. Standing above him were two people he didn't want to see; Lord Voldemort and his schoolyard rival's mother, Narcissa Malfoy. Trying again to get up and flee the area, he received a warm chuckle from the beautiful woman above him. "My, my. What a cute dog."

Voldemort sneered impatiently at the woman. "I brought you here to heal it, not coo at it."

"What seems to be the problem?" she asked; though wether the question was posed at Harry or the Dark lord they couldn't tell.

Harry whimpered in reply, quick to use his position as "innocent animal" to get what he needed. The Hat hadn't wanted to put him in Slytherin for nothing, after all.

"Awe, poor thing. Let's check you over," she cooed, taking out her wand and casting a scan. "What condition was he in when you found him?"

Harry's tail wagged slightly at being called "him" instead of "it."

"He was badly beaten, barely able to move. I gave him a blood-replenishing potion and an anti-pain potion to get him through the night, but I knew it would be best to ask your assistance with this matter."

The young healer nodded. "I'm glad you called. I would have come last night were I not so...busy."

Harry cocked his head to one side as a light blush graced Lady Malfoy's cheeks. He decided it best not to think on it; he didn't need any images of Malfoy's parents shagging, no matter how beautiful both partners were.

"No need to apologize. You and your family have the right as Inner Circle members to refuse a summons. Though I'd prefer you all to immediately come to my side."

Narcissa turned to the man and bowed low, knowing that beneath the charming voice was displeasure. "Forgive me, My Lord. I will not disappoint you again."

Voldemort nearly smirked at her submissive apology, but instead nodded and then called attention back to Harry, nudging his head slightly in the animagus' direction.

"Oh! Yes...the scan.." she stuttered, flustered. She leaned down and picked up the scan results paper from the floor where it had dropped and looked it over. "There doesn't seem to be much internal damage besides some minor bruising to certain organs and he is outwardly bruised over most of his body. The wound to his shoulder should heal quickly with proper care, though there is a chance it will scar," she read, looking sympathetically down at the creature at her feet.

'_Oh great,_' Harry thought, '_another scar._' His nerves calmed slightly when a soft hand ran soothingly through his fur. He made a short approving noise before closing his eyes and allowing himself to enjoy the treatment.

"There is one thing about him though..." Narcissa stated wearily. "He appears to have a magical signature."

'_Crap._'

The Dark Lord raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you suggesting he is a wizard?"

Harry gulped, preparing to use what little strength he had to dash out of there.

"It's possible," she stated slowly. "He could also just be some sort of magical creature, such as a kneazle.

'_Kneazle?_' Harry thought. '_Like Crookshanks?_' (1)

"That could be. I'll have to test him," he said in a slightly dangerous tone, removing his wand from his robes and aiming it at the creature.

Harry startled and tried to run for the door, but Voldemort was too quick. With a harsh "Aperio!" a stream of glowing blue light surrounded him, commanding his body to change, but the Gryffindor wasn't going down without a fight. His instincts pushed his magical core to fight the invading spell, pushing the foreign magic away from it. After a few moments of nothing outwardly happening, the spell was released and Harry fell to the floor, panting heavily.

"Well, that rules out animagus. He must be a creature then," he stated simply, putting away his wand with an elegant flourish.

Narcissa glared slightly at her Lord for aggravating the animal further, but said nothing. Placing Harry back on the soft cushion, she pet him a few times before standing and facing Voldemort. "What will you do with him, My Lord? I'm assuming you wish to heal him, after all you did call me, but for what purpose?"

"I hadn't thought on it."

Narcissa bit her bottom lip gently. "I could take him, My Lord. He'd make an excellent pet with a little care and grooming. Draco's birthday is coming u-"

"No. The dog stays here until I can figure out what form of creature it is."

Lady Malfoy frowned visibly at this, but nodded and proceeded to walk towards the door. "I will care for him in the mean time. I may need Severus' help with supplying the healing potions."

"Of course. My servant is at your disposal, my lady," he said politely, enjoying the chance to undermine his followers in such a way.

Narcissa nodded and bowed before exiting the room.

Harry and Voldemort looked at each other.

"Well dog," he grinned maniacally, making Harry's ears fold back instinctually, "welcome to Riddle Manor."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxX

There you go, a little Voldemort craziness to end the chapter. Text Edit sucks. I can't tell how many pages I've written or even how many words. So frustrating when you're trying to make long chapters... Oh well. I'll make do with what I've got until I can save up for a new Word program. Until next chapter, cheers!

(1) It is revealed in the books that Hermione's pet cat Crookshanks is actually half kneazle; a highly intelligent, cat-like creature. Because of "the dog's" obvious smarts and magical signature, Narcissa compares him to these creatures.


	4. Fun Then Run

9/5/09

I don't have much to say except I hope you enjoy.

XxXxX

Life at Riddle Manor was good. Harry ate three-square meals a day, mostly consisting of lightly cooked meat, and got to sleep for as long as he want, wherever he please. Of course, all this was in his animagus form. Were he to transform back into his human self… He shivered at the thought. But he didn't mind life as a pet. At least he was treated well and he didn't have to eat generic dog food. When he did something bad he was just sprayed with water, which he pretended bothered him. They never hit him like the Dursleys had. All in all, life was good.

When he was well enough, Volemort brought him to a large hall filled with hundreds of men, all dressed in black robes and Death Eater masks. Harry's ears fell flat against his skull and he crouched low to the ground, growling. The Dark Lord raised a nonexistent eyebrow at him and continued walking towards a large thrown in the back of the hall. Not wanting to be left behind in a room full of ruthless men, he quickly followed and sat at his feet. The two men who had hurt him were near by. He could smell them…

When the hall quieted, Voldemort spoke. "I suppose you all are wondering what this animal is doing here."

'_Hey!_' Animal indeed. He would have turned his chin up would it not look suspicious.

"One week ago, I came upon two of my men," he stared pointedly at the two, both of whom shrunk away, "torturing this dog, while they were _supposed_ to have been searching for the Vire Clan."

The Death Eaters standing around the two quickly backed away, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Voldemort stood.

"Tell me, Petterson, Marten, is this a vampire?" he motioned towards Harry.

The men looked at each other before both responding, "No."

"Is it a member of The Order?"

Again, "No."

"Then _**why**_," he crucioed them wandlessly, "did you attack it?"

Both men cried out in pain, offering apologies and begging for mercy. After a few minutes of entertaining torture, he released the spell, leaving them panting on the floor. They raised their eyes as their Lord glared down at them with such fierceness that their airflow ceased immediately.

"If I catch either of you fooling around again, you will lose more than your breath."

Both Marten and Petterson passed out on top of each other while the rest of the meeting continued uneventfully.

Harry had never thought he would enjoy living with Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but he did. They were all nice to him as a "dog" and even Bellatrix LeStrange tried to pet him, which of course he wouldn't allow. He enjoyed the anger and fear in her eyes when he growled at her, warning her to stay back, or else. Eventually she stopped trying and now referred to him as "the stupid mutt." Despite the insult, it was still better than being called a baby.

During one of the many meetings Harry attended whilst living there, the most memorable one was in late July, when Wormtail, or "the rat" as he was more commonly called, decided to stand towards the front of the group. Bad mistake, as Harry was bored that day and, as he loathed the man anyway, decided to have a little fun with him. Acting every bit his part as a carnivorous animal, he locked eyes on his prey and stared. Many Death Eaters standing towards the front noticed and waited on bated breath for what would happen next. Wormtail, who had not noticed himself being stared at, started when he noticed Harry stalking towards him like a large cat. All activity in the hall ceased as they turned their attention on the amusing scene. The rat had begun shivering and, many assumed, would soon wet himself in fear as Harry bared his fangs at the ugly little man. He whimpered in fear, covering his face as thought the terrifying vision before him would go away if not seen. With precise timing, Harry pounced. As he was about to land on his prey, Wormtail transformed into his animagus form. Big mistake. The canine caught the vermin in his jaws in one quick movement and proceeded to close them, tortuously slow. Wormtail shrieked in pain, a horrible sound that was music to the Dark Lord's ears. However, when a light cracking sound was heard, the man ordered his et to release the rat. Making eye contact with the man, he opened his jaws, letting the rodent drop to the floor with a loud splat. Soon after dropping, Wormtail returned to his human form, whimpering pathetically as he tried to figure out which of his bones were broken. An entertaining afternoon, indeed.

Harry soon came to like all the men who praised him and laughed at his vicious actions of that day. But in the end, his favorite person there by far was still Narcissa Malfoy, who always cooed at and petted him whenever she had the chance. She was the one who cared for his nutritional needs and made sure he was as healthy as could be. He was glad for that. His body no longer ached every time he moved and his shoulder had healed up. Now he could pounce on her each time he saw her. This of course resulted in more sprays of water from an annoyed Dark Lord.

The rest of the Death Eaters enjoyed playing fetch and wrestling with him. Such activities made the men laugh and Harry's tail go wild. Even Voldemort himself enjoyed his company. The man had even renamed him. Many nights were spent with just them together in the sitting room, Voldmort reading a book leisurely and Harry curled up by the fire. Sometimes he would sit next to the man, leaning against his legs and allowing the Dark Lord to pet him. Harry had to admit that the man wasn't all that bad when he wasn't out for his and his friends' blood. Every time he reminded himself who it was he was loyally sitting next to, he would move over to the fireplace again, staring into the flames as though they had all the answers. He had never been more confused in his life.

Far too soon, August was ending and the first day of his sixth year approached. He knew he would have to leave his comfortable home with the Dark and return to the Light. He knew far too well that they would look for him, that they would worry, but he had to go back. His education was important and his other friends were most likely worried sick over his disappearance. He didn't even want to _think_ of the stress he had caused Remus. While he was thinking on when and how he would leave, a gentle hand was placed on his head. "Lux."

Harry looked up at being called his new name. Voldemort was staring down at him with a soft look upon his face. Thinking it appropriate, Harry wagged his tail. After petting him a few more times, the man pulled something out of his robes and placed it around Harry's neck. Looking down he saw something silver glint in the firelight. He looked back up at the man questioningly.

"It's your own special tag."

'_Oh…_' He nodded in understanding.

The Dark Lord petted him again before grabbing the chain collar lightly and tugging. "Time for bed, Lux."

Harry followed the man to their room for what could be the last time.

XxXxX

That night, Harry left, his newly registered magical signature not triggering the wards on the gate. Once a safe distance away, he apparated to the sidewalk across the street from Grimmauld Place and made his way inside "his" house. It was quiet, as it normally was late at night. Not wanting to wake whomever was sleeping there that night; he tiptoed his way upstairs into the main suite the Black Family heads used to share. Crawling under the musty sheets, he tossed and turned, missing the nice soft bed back at the manor. Eventually exhaustion overtook him and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

In the morning he woke to the smell of earl grey tea and toast. How he could smell the meal from all the way upstairs was a mystery to him, but he ignored it in favor of following the scent down to the kitchen. When he opened the door, he saw Remus standing by the counter, buttering his toast. He looked haggard, the dark circles under his eye nearing an unhealthy black and his pajamas hanging off of him in strange places. For lack of better words, he looked like shit. Not knowing how to approach the man, he walked cautiously forward. Right before he was about to speak, Remus turned around, startled. "….Ha-..Harry?"

"Hello, Remus."

"Harry!" Remus shouted, pulling the young man into a hug. "Oh thank Merlin you're alive."

Harry hugged the wolf back, having missed him dearly over the summer. He tried to quickly think of an excuse for his going missing, but could think of nothing to say, no explanation that wouldn't kill the man out of shock. So he'd lie and not give the man a heart attack or give away his new friends' location He didn't wanting their lives to end any sooner than they had to…

"Harry? Harry!"

The boy shook his head, clearing out his thoughts. "I'm sorry, Remus. I lost focus."

At that the man looked concerned. "Are you alright, Harry? What happened to you? Where have you been?"

"I went away for a while. I'm fine, Remus, I'm not hurt."

"Went away? Harry, you never even got on the train home! Everyone has been searching for you! What happened?"

"I decided to go away, take some time for myself, instead of going back to that _place_." He glared past his friend at the wall.

"Where?"

Harry looked back at him. "That's my business."

The older man looked hurt, but tried again. "Harry, please. We've been searching far and wide for you. We thought…we thought you'd been killed."

"I'm sorry, Remus, but I will not give away the location of my stay. I have the right to a happy summer holiday, just like the rest of my peers."

"I agree, Harry, but your safety-"

"Is my _own_ concern. I'm tired of all this ridiculous precaution. I've escaped death many times and can do it again if necessary."

"That's foolish thinking, Harry. You are not immune to death."

Harry stood taller. "If death comes for me, I'm ready."

At that, the wolf just stared. "Harry…"

"I'm not afraid of dying, Remus. If I'm fated to fall, I will. All I can do is fight the good fight and do my best to defeat Him."

The werewolf was at a loss for words. He had no idea how to respond to the young boy's new way of thinking.

"That doesn't mean that I'm going to go rushing into dangerous situations, though. Give me a little more credit, Remus." He smiled. "I was somewhere safe. Trust me."

After a few minutes of thought, the older man finally sighed, deciding to drop it for now. "Are you hungry?" he asked, grabbing for the bread.

"A little. Do we have any bacon?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Ham? Steak?"

Remus stopped his movement and sniffed the air cautiously. Something was off about the young man's scent. "Harry… Yo-…you haven't been bitten, have you?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"Bitten by what?"

"A werewolf."

A thoughtful look overcame his face. "Hmm… Not that I recall. I didn't really venture very far outside and the only thing I remember biting me was a small spider. It itched a bit, but I'm sure I'm not a werearachnid," he joked.

"I'm serious, Harry!" Remus shouted. "Your scent is off! You smell like…like me."

"Well I did play with a large dog there," Harry quickly lied. "I didn't shower before I left or when I got home, so it's possible you smell his scent on me."

Remus seemed to visibly calm at these words. "Still, I think you should get checked out by Madam Pomfrey when we return to school."

He perked, his heart leaping hopefully. "We?"

"Yes, I have been asked to return as Defense Professor this year."

"That's brilliant!" he shouted, nearly leaping up in joy.

Remus smiled at his pup. "Yes, I can't wait either. Now let's get some food in you."

The rest of the morning was spent with food and pleasant conversation.

XxXxX

Back at Riddle Manor, all Hell was breaking loose. After searching both inside and miles outside of the perimeter, they had all been forced to admit that their furry friend was gone. Voldemort was frantic. How could Lux just disappear? It didn't make any sense! The only way he could have left the manor was by himself, and even then he couldn't have traveled the many miles they had searched, even if running at full speed. The only possible explanation was that he had been taken forcibly and apparated to another location. But why steal a dog? Yes, he was precious to everyone there, but Lux was unknown to the Light, he was sure of it. Unless…it had been one of his own. But who would want Lux gone? He knew of no one, not even Bellatrix; the faithful witch would never betray him and take away that which made him happy. Wormtail hated his pet after the attack, but he didn't have the balls to do something so gutsy. The more he tried to discover answers, the more questions presented themselves. One thing was certain, though; he would continue searching until his pet was found.

XxXxX

Slowly, but surely, the story progresses. What lies in store for Harry at Hogwarts? Will his secret be discovered? Keep reading to find out.


	5. Hogwarts

10/24/09

This chapter took me about seven hours to write and edit and is twice as long as my usual chapter length. I was exhausted by the end of the day, so any errors, grammatical or otherwise, don't matter to me. I just want to rest…

Enjoy.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxX

Harry awoke early on September the first to the lovely smell of meat. Rushing to dress and use the restroom, he ran down the stairs and burst into the kitchen. Remus smiled up at him from his seat at the table. "I thought this might get you up."

Harry grinned back at him cheerfully. "Well you were right."

Harry sat down and pulled the serving platters towards himself, placing large amounts of bacon, ham, eggs and a side of toast on his plate. Quickly, though not rudely, he ate up his breakfast. After he had scarfed his protein, he slowed his pace and leisurely spread marmalade over his toast. Remus chuckled in amusement. '_My, how young people can eat,_' he thought. He was still concerned, though, and would have Poppy look at him when they got to school.

The two chatted awhile over their morning tea before going upstairs to collect their bags. Remus had suggested they apparate to the station, so there was no rush; something both men were glad for. At twenty 'til eleven, they stepped out onto the front steps and Harry took Remus' arm. He felt a quick pull, like being squeezed through a tube of toothpaste. An unpleasant feeling that, luckily, lasted only a few seconds. When Harry looked around, he noticed they were standing in a room off the side of Platform 9¾. Noticing his pup's confusion, Remus explained. "It's the station's Apparation Point. We don't apparate in the alleyways outside the station for fear of being noticed."

Harry nodded in understanding. He could only imagine the mass hysteria their exposure would cause the world. He didn't hate muggles, but he knew most would hate their kind. A sad fact, but true.

Harry followed Remus onto the quickly filling train. They found an empty compartment, placed their baggage overhead, and sat down to chat. It wasn't long before Ron and Hermione joined them. As the two teens sat down, Remus made his way out and up the cars to the teachers' compartment. He'd let the kids catch up for a while.

"Hey, mate! Where were you?" he asked, looking a bit miffed at not being the first contacted by his best friend. It was obvious he had been worried.

"Hey, Ron. I'm fine. I just went on holiday is all. Thought I'd try my hand at a happy summer before the war escalates."

"Well you could've at least written. We thought you'd been abducted. Mum was worried sick. Even started crying."

Harry had sense enough to look guilty at this. "I'm sorry, mate… I just needed to get away. I'll write your family and apologize."

Ron nodded and looked over at a strangely silent Hermione. She was looking at Harry with an analyzing gaze.

"'Mione?" Ron asked.

Hermione, finally snapping out of it, quickly began reprimanding Harry for worrying them all so much. Ron and Harry just smiled fondly at the expected reaction and tuned most of it out. "…no idea how upset I am!"

Taking this as his cue, he quickly apologized, not wanting her to continue her lecture. When he had convinced the girl he was truly sorry, she finally let up and began talking about the upcoming school year. "We have to start studying for our NEWTS," she stated excitedly.

Ron looked horrified at this. "But- but Hermione, we're in sixth year, not seventh!"

"Yes, but we start studying for them _this year_. We're going to have a lot more homework now, and I expect you both to keep up."

Ron let out a tortured sigh.

Harry held in his laughter. His poor friend was going to have it rough this year. Luckily for him, he had learned a lot during his stay at Riddle Manor. Just by listening, he had learned the incantations for advanced spells and their counter spells, and while the rest of the manor residents were sleeping, he had snuck off to the library to read. It wasn't unusual to see animals sleep during the day, so he easily caught up on his lost hours without them being any the wiser.

Thinking about his time there made Harry miss the old place. He missed Narcissisa and all the nameless Death Eaters he had befriended there. Hell, he even missed Tom! It was a hard thing to give up, but his schooling was more important. He had responsibilities to think of that could not be ignored, and no matter how much he missed it, he knew that part of his life to be over.

During his inner monologue, Harry didn't notice Neville and Luna step in.

"Hello, Harry," came the soft, wistful voice of his pale female friend.

His head snapped up at the sound. "Hey, Luna," he replied with a huge smile adorning his face. "How was your holiday?"

"Oh, not bad. Dad and I went snorklefink hunting in Brazil. They're these small, blue fairy-like creatures that change your appearance to try and trick you into thinking you're someone you're not. It looks like you've met one as well," she said, pointing at Harry.

Ron looked at his best friend and his eyes widened. "Hey, you're right! Harry, your face is different."

Pulling out a mirror, Luna held it up for him to see. They were right, he did look different. His face was slightly longer, as was his hair, and his nose, which had once resembled his father's, now looked thinner and more elegant. His eyes were the same, though brighter, and he noticed his canine teeth were a bit pointy. He still looked like him, but more…creature-like? He tried to look harder and felt his eyes watering. He removed his glasses and rubbed at them.

"Harry? You alright?" asked Neville.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks. I think I need new glasses though. My vision is getting blurrier."

"Well that's no good," Ron said, frowning. "You can barely see without them as it is."

"You better have Madame Pomfrey take a look your eyes when we reach Hogwarts," stated Neville.

Nodding, Harry turned to the brunette and began discussing his summer holiday. Nearly half an hour later, the nice witch with the trolley came knocking, asking if they wanted anything. The boys and Luna stood and walked over to the door. Before Harry could reach the trolley, though, a determined hand pulled him back.

"Harry, might I have a quick word?" whispered Hermione.

Harry nodded, curious, and went back to the corner of the compartment with her.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed, still whispering. "You are different this year. If everyone else noticed, it's not just me who thinks so. What happened, Harry? Why have you changed?"

Harry blinked, at a loss for words. "How should I know?" he asked. "Puberty?"

"Puberty doesn't make you look like a magical creature, Harry. Were you bitten by something over the summer? It's alright, I won't tell anyone or discriminate."

"I-I haven't! I just went on vacation!"

"You're sure? Nothing happened while you were away?"

'_Well, Hermione, if you don't count me going off to live at the Dark Side's headquarters, befriending my enemies, and sharing a bed with the very man who is out for my blood, no, nothing happened this summer_,' he thought. Of course, what he said was, "Nothing. I'm positive."

Hermione gave him another analyzing stare, but sighed and nodded. "Alright. If you're certain…"

"I am," he replied immediately. "Nothing bit me."

She smiled at him then. "In that case, let's get something from the trolley before she leaves. I fancy a Pumpkin Pastie."

XxXxX

The first of the year celebration was the same as every year. The Sorting Hat singing its new song, a swarm of frightened eleven-year-olds being placed in their houses, Dumbledore giving his speech, and, of course, the huge feast. People of course whispered about him and his disappearance over the holiday, but other than that, it was a peaceful start to a hopefully peaceful year. As the feast ended, much to the sadness of Ron, the trio made their way to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione shooed them up the stairs, after only a quick hello to their friends, and shouted up the stairs for them to go straight to bed. "I don't want either of you yawning in class tomorrow!"

Not feeling the need to piss her off in that moment, and despite the fact that it was only a little after nine o'clock, both pulled on their pajamas and slipped into bed. That night, Harry dreamt of running through clouds in his animagus form. Running away from a scalding, piercing light, toward the comfort of cool darkness.

The next morning, Harry awoke bright and early, feeling well rested. Casting a tempus charm, he saw it was only six-thirty. Not feeling tired and already fully away, he got out of bed, gathered his soaps, and made his way to the showers. He took his time, loving the feel of the warm water caressing his body. Closing his eyes, he remembered his baths at the manor. Narcissa would scrub his fur with lightly scented shampoo while singing softly to him. It was a warm, comforting memory.

As he was finishing up, Neville entered the room.

"Good morning, Harry. Sleep well?" he asked while stripping. The young man no longer felt the need to hide himself from his roommates, waiting for everyone to finish and the showers to be empty. Instead he walked right past the dripping-wet Harry, not even flinching at the other boy's nakedness.

Harry smiled back at his friend, feeling a happy pride swell in his chest for him. "Yeah, great sleep. You?"

"Fine. I dreamt giant licorice wands were chasing me. I was frightened, until I remembered they were food and I ate them."

Harry laughed. "Sounds like a dream Ron would have."

They both laughed at that and Harry began to change into a clean set of school robes.

"Hey, Harry?"

He turned to look at Neville. "Yeah?"

"Were you working out during the summer?"

"Er… Not really. Why?"

"Well, it's just that you look more toned than you usually do when you come back from holiday," he explained nervously. "I-I'm sorry for staring."

"It's okay, Neville. Don't worry about it," he said, turning and looking down at himself. He did look better than usual, like he'd been playing quidditch all summer. Thin, but not unhealthily so, and lightly toned. He shrugged, chalking it up to him being away from the Dursleys and their starvation methods of punishment all summer. '_At least I don't look like a malnourished skeleton_,' he thought, shivering in remembrance.

After dressing, he gathered his schoolbooks and supplies in his satchel and went down to the common room. As expected, Hermione was already waiting on the couch closest to the fire, reading. Walking quietly so as not to alert her to his presence, he tiptoed close behind the couch before speaking loudly and cheerfully. "Good morning!"

The girl jumped in surprise at her friend's shouting. Tragically, her book fell, scraping the grate of the fireplace before it hit the floor with a soft thump. "Harry!" she nearly screamed. "Don't ever startle me like that whilst I'm reading! Merlin!" She took a few calming breaths before bending down to retrieve her book and assess the damage. She frowned. "Oh, the spine is bent." Taking out her wand she muttered a quick "repairo," repairing her precious book and setting her mind at ease. It was now that she realized how extraordinary her friend's presence was. "You're up. And it's only seven fifteen."

"Yep. Sorry, Hermione, for scaring you and making you drop your book."

She waved it off. "It's fine. Just don't do it again in the future," she scolded lightly.

"I won't," he promised. "What were you reading?"

Hermione smiled brightly at the question. "Our transfiguration book. We learn about human transformations this year!" she said, excitedly.

"Human? You mean like animagi transformations?"

His friend nodded, her bushy hair following the movement. "Yes, exactly! That, and animal to human transfiguration. Can you imagine? I could talk with Crookshanks! And you could talk with Hegwig! I'm sure she'd be lovely as a human, and I bet she'd love a chance to speak with you. There are so many possibilities!" By this point, she was bouncing in her seat.

Harry nodded enthusiastically at her in response. He'd love to speak with his beloved owl, to hear her voice instead of her hoots comforting him. His oldest friend. As for animagi transformation, he'd simply feign ignorance, pretending to fail at the activities. Hopefully he could pull off such an act.

Half an hour later, Ron came down, robes ruffled, and yawning sleepily. "Nn… Good morning."

Hermione sighed and shook her head sadly. "Honestly, Ronald. Even with the extra sleep, you're still late."

"I'm tired," he stated quite obviously.

She sighed again at his hopelessness. "Come on. If we don't hurry, we'll miss breakfast."

XxXxX

Breakfast went quickly with a bowl of oatmeal and piece of toast with jam. There was little time to eat much else, as Professor McGonagall was already handing out the class schedules to the sixth years. The woman stopped and did a double take when she reached them. Harry simply smiled and held out his hand to take his paper. After a few moments, she seemed to snap out of it and handed him, Ron, and Hermione their schedules. They had History of Magic first, followed by Transfiguration, lunch, and Double Potions. At this, Ron paled.

"W-wha..? I thought-! He-!"

"'Mione, I think Ron's broken," Harry chuckled out.

She smiled. "I guess the headmaster convinced Professor Snape to lower his standards. How wonderful for you both."

Harry only laughed harder at her words. He was going to have fun showing off his newly acquired knowledge to Snape. Hopefully the man would end up gob smacked. Now _that_ would be a sight.

History of Magic was spent in the usual way for two of the three golden ones. Hermione took foot after foot of notes, while Ron used the time to catch up on his sleep. Harry, however, did not daydream as he usually did. Instead, he took a leaf from Hermione and took notes, actually paying attention for once. The look on Hermione's face was positively priceless. If he didn't get a reaction from Snape today, this most likely would make up for it.

Next was Transfiguration. Today's lesson involved a lecture on safety precautions when dealing with advanced transfiguring spells. She went over the rules of her classroom as she had in first year, and gave a set of new rules for human transfiguration. '_It must be complicated magic if she's being so cautious,_' Harry thought. After making sure her students knew the rules backwards and forwards, the woman dismissed her class.

"Mr. Potter, if I might have a word?" she called out over the chatter of exiting students.

Harry nodded to his friends, signaling them to go on ahead, and turned back to face his teacher. "Yes, Professor?"

"Potter, are you an animagus?"

His eyes widened in shock. "Ma'am?"

"Because your physical features are changing and I know that, had you been bitten by some form of creature, you would have informed us. Now, are you an animagus?"

There was a short pause before Harry answered a quiet, "Yes."

"Have you been spending an extended period of time in your animagus form?"

Harry nodded. '_I'd consider two and a half months an "extended period."_'

"I advise you take a break from transforming, Potter. Spending long periods of time in your animagus form usually results in a shift in your human appearance."

"You mean like Wormtail?"

The woman frowned in distasted. "Yes, though the man always looked rat-like. Another example is what has happened to you. I'm guessing your form is something with grace and power?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She gave a short, curt nod. "Your current appearance reflects that. I want you to be careful, Potter. Your looks will most likely return to normal, but I want you to be weary of transforming unless it is absolutely necessary. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor. I understand."

"Alright, you may leave," she said, waving him off.

As he turned to leave, she coughed. He turned back to look at her questioningly.

"Out of curiosity…what is your form?"

Harry smiled and morphed. McGonagall gasped.

"Oh my," she whispered, shocked. She then smiled fondly at the boy. "Sirius would be proud."

Harry morphed back and smiled sadly, whispering, "Thank you, Ma'am…" before leaving.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxX

I didn't really know what else to write without taking up another chapter's worth of pages. Hope you enjoyed.


	6. Changes

I don't really have much to say. There's too much shit going on in my life to make sense of anything anymore. I made this chapter longer than usual. It's not at all exciting, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

XxXxX

Harry sat on crisp white sheets, patiently waiting for Madame Pomfrey. Remus had finally convinced him to see her, and was now standing diligently at his side. He said it was to provide support, but Harry knew Remus, and Remus thought Harry would leave if he had a chance; which, to be fair, he probably would have, as he thought this a rather silly idea. He felt perfectly fine, his only concern at the moment being his eyesight, and _that_ he could chalk up to his eyes changing with age. Before he could try and speak with his werewolf guardian about the meaninglessness of this visit, Madame Pomfrey walked in, carrying a large chart, which was most likely his.

She smiled at him. "Good morning, Mr. Potter. How are we feeling today?"

"Just fine, Ma'am. In fact, I feel perfectly normal," he replied, trying hard to be polite and not sound incredibly annoyed, which he obviously was.

"Now, now, Harry, no need to get testy. Remus and I are only looking after you. Now, I've been told that your vision has changed. Please remove your glasses so that I may examine your eyes."

Harry did so, and soon found his right, then his left eyelids held open and tested.

"Hmm… Nothing serious, nothing serious at all. In fact, your vision seems to have improved!" she stated, smiling down at him.

Harry's and Remus' eyes widened. "It has?" they asked at the same time.

Poppy nodded happily. "Indeed it has. Actually, Harry, I was wondering why you don't just go ahead and have your vision fixed. It would be far easier than wearing glasses. I'm sure they give you a bit of trouble on your adventures."

Harry blushed and nodded, reminded of the many incidents where he had lost his glasses and been unable to help his friends.

"Well, how about we schedule you for a procedure at St. Mungos then?" she asked, her smile never wavering.

Harry looked to Remus, who nodded and smiled encouragingly. He turned back to her before giving a quiet, "Alright."

She nodded and scribbled something down on the chart. "I'll see if we can't get you scheduled for winter break. That will give you plenty of recovery time."

"Sounds good," Remus said, grasping Harry's shoulder excitedly. His cub would finally be able to see properly.

"Next order of business. I'm going to need a blood sample, Harry."

He looked up at her. "Why?"

"Remus insists on testing you for magical creature blood; more specifically, lycanthropy," she said, bustling to get the necessary supplies.

Harry looked up at the werewolf. "Remus, I told you, I haven't been bitten by anything."

"I know, Harry, but better safe than sorry. I don't want anything to happen to you."

He sighed. "Alright. But only for you."

Remus smiled. "Thank you."

Madame Pomfrey came back with a tray, two test tubes, and a small razor. "Ready, dear?"

Harry nodded, and, knowing what to do, took the razor and pricked his finger. Madame Pomfrey siphoned the blood from the tiny wound, into the tubes, healing it afterward.

"I'll send one to Severus, and one to St. Mungo's for testing. Always good to get a second opinion."

Remus nodded approvingly.

Looking over her charts again, the mediwitch smiled at her patient. "We're done now, you can go."

Harry nodded and made his way out, thanking her before he left.

XxXxX

Fall passed uneventfully, the seasons quickly changing. Harry had shocked everyone in all his classes by answering as many questions as Hermione and putting far more effort into his homework. By winter, he was top in his year, next to his frizzy haired friend, of course, and Remus couldn't have been prouder. Even Snape had praised him, in his own snarky way, by saying he was "not a total failure."

The only people who seemed unhappy for him were Malfoy and Ron. Harry knew Malfoy would get upset at anyone who reached his level of skill in potions, and would be nastier to him as a result, but Ron's behaviour, though not unfamiliar, came as a surprise. It started with little glares, and ended with him not speaking to him. When his best friend's silence started getting to Harry, Hermione would comfort him, saying Ron would come around in time.

One day, as Harry was sitting at a desk in the common room, studying for a Transfiguration exam, Ron began to glare hatefully at him from one of the couches. After about twenty minutes of this, Harry closed his book with a sigh. "Can I help you?"

"No, but you can help yourself, obviously," the redhead replied in a nasty tone.

"What are you going on about?"

"You know _exactly_ what I'm going on about," he growled, standing up. "You leave for three months, without so much as a letter, then you come back and you're a bloody genius! How is that possible?"

Harry took a deep breath before replying calmly. "Ron, I stopped complaining about you not sending _me_ letters years ago. As for me being a 'genius,' I'm not. I spent my summer studying instead of messing around. If you studied harder, I'm certain your grades would improve as well."

"I'm not stupid!"

"I never said you are."

Without warning, the irate redhead lunged at him, sending curses left and right. It wasn't hard for Harry to dodge and disarm the larger boy, and seconds later, he lay, bound in ropes, on the floor.

Harry sighed. "You really need to learn to reign in your temper, Ron. Charging at a target like that leaves you vulnerable to curses."

The young Weasley growled, thrashing about like a trapped animal.

They didn't speak after that.

Winter break came and he received no invitation from Ron to go to the Weasleys'. He felt a small pain in his chest when this happened, but by this point, it was expected. So he and Remus made their way home for a nice, quiet Christmas together.

On Christmas Eve, Remus pulled Harry into the sitting room.

"Remus, what's going on?"

The werewolf simply smiled and pointed to the tree.

Curious, Harry looked under the bottom branches and pulled out an envelope. He looked up at his godfather questioningly.

"Open it."

He did and nearly dropped it in shock. Inside was the surgery bill, paid in Remus' name. "Remus…"

"I wanted to give you something special, I thought this would do."

"But Remus, it's far too much! Please, let me pay for it. You can't possibly affor-"

Remus held up his hand in protest. "I have enough. I wanted to do this for you. Please."

"…Remus," Harry whispered.

The older man walked over to him, taking his cub in his arms.

"Merry Christmas, Harry."

XxXxX

Christmas Day came and Harry sat in the waiting room of St. Mungo's surgery center, filling out medical information forms; name, age, sex, date of birth, etc. Pretty boring stuff, but it was necessary. Silently he wondered how he could have his procedure scheduled on the same day as his first consultation appointment, and silently he told himself the answer, '_You're Harry Potter._'

Soon after turning in the forms, a young, pretty mediwitch came in and led him and Remus to a small exam room.

"The healer will be with you shortly," she said politely before exiting.

Harry twiddled his thumbs nervously as he watched the clock. After only a minute and a half of waiting, a tall, thin woman walked in, carrying a medical chart.

"Hello, Harry. I'm Healer Anne, I'll be working on your eyes today," the woman stated, smiling friendlily at the anxious teenager.

Harry smiled back, slowly loosing his nervousness as he realized he could relax around this woman.

"Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions. Would that be alright?"

He nodded, sitting up a bit straighter.

Anne looked at her chart before speaking. "Has there ever been an incident where you have had a negative reaction to any form of magic?"

"No."

"Have you ever had runes scrolled on your body?"

"No."

"Any allergies?"

"None that I know of."

Anne asked more questions and checked off each answer as Harry gave them. "Great. Do you have any questions before we prep you for the procedure?"

Harry looked up at Remus, who nodded, before speaking in a low voice. "Just one. If we're witches and wizards, shouldn't we be able to fix our flaws with magic in an instant?"

The Healer smiled down at him. "Healing is a unique form of magic. Unlike inanimate objects, human beings are harder to fix. But don't you worry, Harry. We've got the best team of healers gathered to get your eyes in top form."

Harry nodded in response, sitting a bit closer to his guardian.

"A mediwitch will be in to prep you and escort you to the pre-op room," Anne said before walking out.

Before he knew it, he was standing in a hospital gown, about to hop onto a gurney. Remus assisted him as he hoisted himself up and lay down. The werewolf held his hand as he was pushed toward the operating room. Before they entered, Remus reluctantly let go, but not before whispering an assuring, "It'll be alright."

Bright lights hit him, then nothing.

XxXxX

"Harry… Harry."

Harry groaned, opening his eyes slowly. Everything was blurry. For a moment he thought the procedure hadn't started yet, but then he realized his eyes were sore.

"Remus..?"

"Yes, Harry, I'm here." He felt a hand grasp his own. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired… And my eyes hurt."

"Ill have one of the nurses bring you a pain reliever potion."

"Thanks…"

Blackness took him again.

XxXxX

A week later and Harry was running around Grimmauld Place with new vigor. He was like a puppy with a new toy, as he looked at everything he saw in a new light.

"I can see, Remus! I can see everything!" he'd shout, causing his godfather to laugh and hug him tight as he shared his joy.

He was excited and it showed in his demeanor. But within the week, he knew that there was something missing in his happiness. Often, at night, he would pace the front hall in his animagus form, whimpering anxiously. He wanted something, he wanted out.

After another week, when he felt he could take it no longer, Harry ran from Grimmauld Place and towards his somehow unconsciously known destination.

XxXxX

Lord Voldemort couldn't sleep. Something was keeping him awake, something was coming… He didn't know what it was, but it was making him uneasy. His feelings were almost never wrong. Had the Order discovered his location? Were they on their way? He barely had time to think of other possibilities when his perimeter wards went off.

Never one for cowardice, he decided to investigate on his own before calling his Death Eaters to his side. He put on his crimson slippers and dressing gown before making his way downstairs. There was something scratching on the door. He removed his wand from his robe pocket, preparing to stun the intruder as soon as there was an opening in the door. He was reaching for the handle when he heard something he thought he never would again; a low bark.

He stiffened. Was this a trick? Was he dreaming? Throwing caution to the wind, he threw open the door, only to be pushed down by something furry. Moments later, his face was assaulted by a long, wet tongue. He laughed, a foreign sound to his ears and heart, and tried pushing the animal off of him. "Lux!"

XxXxX

There's chapter six. Review if you care to.


	7. Discovery

3/18/10

Hello, everyone. I'm finally back to writing this fic. I've been so uninspired lately, so instead of writing, I've been reading novels as well as the occasional comic book. Now that I've rested my brain, I feel I can try to write and satisfy _your_ reading needs.

For those interested, Harry's reaction to being able to see properly was taken from personal experience. The first time I tried on a pair of glasses, I was amazed at the clarity of my sight. For the first time in my life I could see trees on the mountains, I saw the shapes the clouds took and the tiniest detail of my cats' fur from a distance. I was ecstatic. I was also nine years old. So if his reaction seemed a bit over the top, blame my love of proper sight.

Now, on with the show.

XxXxX

The whole of Riddle Manor had awoken to joyous laughter and barking. Men and women rushed to the scene and soon found themselves a part of the happy reunion as Harry leapt around the room, jumping on the Death Eaters' chests and lapping at their faces. He was home.

Soon, Voldemort called their attention and sent them back to bed, making his way back to his own room, Harry trailing behind him. They entered and Harry went to his bed in the corner, only to be called by his happy roommate.

"Lux," he called.

Harry looked up to see a space for him next to Tom. Cautiously, he made his way onto the bed and over to the man's side. Large hands stroked through his fur, relaxing him and making his tail thump lightly. As he was beginning to drift off to sleep, he heard a sharp click in his ears. His head shot up and he looked around him. Only when he tried to move did he realize he had been chained to the wall above the headboard. There was plenty of slack, but he would not be able to leave the bed.

He whimpered, tugging at the chain; when he tried to retreat to his pillow, a loud alarm sounded throughout the room. Voldemort quickly brought him back to the bed, patting and trying to calm him.

"Shhh… It's all right, Lux. I just wanted to be sure you stayed in this room. I don't want to loose you again."

Harry stilled. His heart began pounding at the thought of these words. Tom wanted him there, wanted him safe. He whimpered softly.

The Dark Lord stroked his back softly, lulling him back to sleep. Lux would stay safe with him.

Harry woke minutes before dawn, ready to head back to London. He yawned and stretched, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his paw. He was about to leap from the bed when he remembered his predicament. He turned to observe the chain. It was attached to the loop in his collar, next to his tag.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. It was risky, but a shot. Looking to make sure Tom was deep in sleep, he shifted back into human form. Slowly, for fear of the alarm sounding and waking his supposed nemesis, he removed the chain collar. He was about to leave it behind when he realized exactly what it was he had removed from his neck. Attached to the loop, glimmering in the moonlight, was Salazar Slytherin's locket.

Harry nearly toppled over in shock. The Dark Lord had given him a precious Hogwarts heirloom…as a dog tag? Did the man really trust him that much? '_No_', he decided, '_he doesn't. It's Lux that he trusts, not Harry. He'd never entrust the locket to me._' Pain filled his chest at this thought.

Harry couldn't help but wonder, though, why the man had given the locket to his pet. Was Lux that special to him? He must be.

Next to him, Tom began to stir. Calming himself, Harry shifted back into Lux and looked down at his collar. With a deep breath, he focused his magical energy, as McGonagall had taught him, on two points, his fangs. He quickly bit through the magic-laced chain, scooped up the collar and locket, and ran.

Back at Grimmauld Place, Harry let out a breath of relief. He had made it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the collar, removing the broken chain leash and putting it back around his neck, making sure the locket wasn't visible. He'd had no idea he was carrying something so important around his neck all this time. It was rather unnerving.

What was he to do now? Should he stay here or return to Tom? He wanted both, he wanted to be both Harry _and_ Lux, but he knew this to be impossible. He also knew he couldn't just go back and forth between lives. He needed stability, structure. What kind of life would this be?

Until he could figure out what to do, he would run between, he decided. He would live as both until he figured out which was better for him. He only hoped that, when the time came, he could.

XxXxX

Tom woke late the next morning, the sun already high enough to shine through the bay windows. He stretched out across his pillows and turned to pet Lux, only to find him gone. He sat upright and accidental waves of magic coursed through the manor, causing earth tremors and letting every resident know just how upset their Lord was.

'_But what could be wrong after Lux's return_?' many thought. Their Lord had been relieved to have his pet back the night previous. But when they saw him storming down the main staircase, eyes glowing in fury, they knew the dog was yet again missing and that they were in serious trouble. He would torture every last one of them for any information they could supply, which, of course, was nothing. It was going to be a long day…

XxXxX

Winter break soon came to an end for the students and teachers of Hogwarts. Harry, along with Remus returned to King's Cross Station, only to be bombarded by a large, red haired mob; the Weasleys.

When the unannounced hug fest was over, Mr. and Mrs. Wealey pulled Harry aside for a chat.

"Oh, Harry dear, we're so sorry!" Mrs. Weasley declared. "Ginny told us what Ronald did."

"Oh, er…" Harry began, only to be interrupted by Mr. Weasley.

"We wrote you a letter, but the snow must have confused Errol. Poor bird is getting close to the end, I'm afraid," the man said sullenly, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," Harry said sincerely. He loved owls, and Errol had always been such a kind old thing. He hated the thought of him dying.

Arthur nodded. "If it's his time, it's his time. We've had him for many years."

Harry nodded, then said, "Don't worry about Ron. Even if he and I never speak again, it's the rest of you I worry about loosing…"

Both adults were surprised at his words.

"Harry," Arthur began, "you don't want Ron's friendship?"

The look in Harry's eyes turned gravely serious. "I can't afford to have a comrade who continues to turn his back on me. It's far too risky considering my position in the war"

Mr. Weasley held up a hand to stop his wife from arguing and then placed it on the young man's shoulder. Sighing, he said, "I understand… Please know that you have the Weasley family's full support, no matter what Ron chooses."

"Yeah, Harry!" said Fred cheerily, followed immediately by George. "We're with you all the way!"

"Don't let Ron's sour attitude spoil our friendship," said Ginny in a comforting voice. "I'll stay your friend no matter what."

Harry's demeanor turned bright once again and he smiled at the people he considered family. "Thank you, everyone," he said, turning to hide his misty eyes.

"Awww!" the Twins said in unison, hugging him sandwich style and nuzzling his cheeks. "So cute!"

Harry blushed. "Er… Guys?" He could feel the eyes of onlookers.

"Awe, don't be so shy, little brother," said George encouragingly.

"Yeah, what's a little love between family?" Fred said in a voice that would let even the densest person know exactly what was on his mind.

Harry was sure he was tomato red by now. "Please," he whispered, "People are staring…"

Knowing how uncomfortable public attention made him, and feeling the glare of their mother on their backs, they reluctantly released him.

The train's whistle sounded and Remus took his pup's arm. "We'd better board now, Harry. We don't want another incident," he said, smiling fondly as the blush that had began to recede returned to the young man's face.

"Bye, Harry!" the Twins shouted, waving like mad people.

"Have a good rest of the year dears," Mrs. Weasley said, herding Ginny along after Harry.

"Stay out of trouble you two," Mr. Weasley jested, knowing how his daughter could coax even the most cautious people into dangerous situations. '_My how things have changed_,' he thought as he watched them disappear inside.

As the train pulled out of the station, they all wondered how Ron would handle the situation, and how they could possibly turn against one of their own.

XxXxX

Harry sat outside the back gate of Riddle Manor, staring at Tom's balcony. Knowing the man's habits, he would soon step out to look at the stars and contemplate many things. As if on cue, the man stepped into view. His skin, so pale and lightly scaled, seemed to glow in the moonlight. His eyes also seemed to brighten under Mother Moon, turning from dark crimson to fresh blood red. While others would find this man's appearance repulsive, Harry was overwhelmed by it. He wouldn't call it attraction. It was more like… Well, there were really no words to describe it. He was in awe.

Seeing him in this light reminded him of the night this man had saved his life all those months ago. He had looked the same then as he did now. Remembering brought a low whimper from him. Without realizing it, he had called attention to himself.

Tom's head moved to stare at him. He obviously thought he had imagined the noise. But when he saw Lux sitting by the gate, his heart nearly stopped. Was it really him, had his pet found his way back to him again? And would he leave again? He knew his men had nothing to do with the beast's departure. There was no other explanation than he had left himself. For all his knowledge, he couldn't understand why Lux had left.

Harry stared at Tom, wondering what would happen now. Would the man shun him? He wouldn't be surprised. He deserved it after everything he'd put him through. This brought another, more terrible thought. Had he lost another home? Harry couldn't help what happened next. He threw back his head and let out a sorrowful howl, an unmistakable howl.

Tom's eyes widened in utter shock at the sound. His dog was not a dog. He was a wolf.

XxXxX

Dun dun duuun!! Please review.

Grammatical errors will be fixed later.


	8. Darker Than Blood

5/27/10

I'm stuck at home with a terrible cold/flu. Not much else to do but continue to write. Enjoy.

5/31/10

Update: I like this version of the chapter much better than the previous one, which I disliked immediately after posting. I hope you still enjoy.

XxXxX

Life at school was difficult for Harry. Not only did he have classes and Defense Army (renamed due to dislike of the original's namesake) meetings, but also Ron kept acting as though he wanted to approach him. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and it continuously drove away potential allies from the poor, stressed teenager.

He knew that eventually he would have to confront his former friend; he just hoped that day would come soon. He was tired of being on guard. But knowing Ron, he wouldn't have to wait much long.

When his guards brought the red head inside the D.A.'s meeting room, he knew his guess had been correct. He hadn't thought the boy had been so violent, though.

"Let _**go **_of me!" he snarled, lashing out at the two who had practically dragged him inside.

"Sir, we found the deserter sneaking around the hall. What should we do with him?"

"_Deserter_?" Ron asked incredulously. "He kicked _me_ out!"

"After you attacked him!" Colin Creevy shouted, defending his hero.

Ron was silent after that.

Harry stepped forward. "What is it you want, Ron? We're very busy," he said, calling attention to the training activities that continued around them despite the loud interruption.

"I want to continue my training as well."

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Look…I know I pissed you off, but the D.A. was cofounded by me. I have a right to be here."

"This isn't about 'pissing him off,' Ron," Hermione spoke gently. "You attacked your leader."

"Leader? Since when is the leader?"

"He has always been the leader," she replied, "And soon he will be the leader of the Light as well."

Harry rubbed the back of his head, uncomfortable with the direction this conversation seemed to be heading.

At Ron's skeptical look, Hermione continued, "Dumbledore won't be around forever. When he passes, it will be Harry's duty to carry on in his place, and we must show support for him now."

Ron hung his head knowing she was right. If he wanted to get anywhere in the new world, he'd have to do it by getting on Harry's good side. But how could he possibly do that?

"What can I do to prove my loyalty?" he asked, looking at the golden duo with determination burning in his blue orbs.

"Loyalty?" Zacharias Smith scoffed. "Does he even know the meaning of the word?"

"Hush, Zacharias," Hermione scolded.

"What? He's betrayed Harry more than once," the blonde replied, eyes narrowed in suspicion at the redhead.

"Smith is right," Harry said, looking back down at him. "I'm sorry, Ron, but I can no longer trust you."

Ron panicked. He was about to loose any chance he had at a powerful position. "I'll do anything!" he shouted, calling the attention of every soldier in the room.

"Anything?" Harry asked, a dangerous idea coming to him.

"Anything," Ron confirmed.

There was a pause before Harry spoke again. "Stand."

Ron stood cautiously.

"Give me your hand."

Ron's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen, and the risk he was about to take.

The D.A. members gathered in a circle around the two, watching curiously as the two boys took each other's wand hands.

"Harry," Hermione whispered fervently. "This is _dangerous_."

"I know what I'm doing, Hermione," he replied, his eyes unmoving from Ron's. The redhead was clearly petrified.

She paused before nodding. "Alright…"

They all stood back to observe as the ritual began.

XxXxX

Things seemed calmer after that dark night. Ron's relationship with Harry seemed outwardly normal, but anyone who knew them could see it was all an act. It seemed to satisfy the teachers, aside from Snape, and other students, however, and served to keep everything calm in Gryffindor house, so no one complained.

Transfiguration was quickly becoming Harry's favorite class. The first half of the school year, Professor McGonagall had instructed her students on proper safety, wand movements, and incantations. Before Christmas break, she had given them mice to practice on. Before long, the room was filled scurrying, squeaking men and women, all trying to fit inside a hole in the wall. Quite an entertaining class.

Once they returned to the castle, they had been asked to bring in their pets. Today would be the day Harry would see Hedwig as human for the first time. He was so excited he was shaking. He couldn't wait to share an actual conversation with his beloved friend. As he thought of all that he could say to and ask her, McGonagall stepped inside the room.

Calling attention to herself, she began the lesson. "Good day, class. For today's lesson, you will be performing animal-to-human transfiguration on your pets. I will watch each one of you to make sure you are performing safely and properly. All of you have transfigured mice successfully; there should be no reason you cannot succeed on your familiars. Now, begin."

Immediately, Harry turned to Hedwig, who stared back at him with wise, knowing eyes. Taking a deep breath, he spoke clearly, "Incohare humanus vultus!"

Hedwig became incased in a blinding white light that seemed to take up the whole room. When it faded, his owl had become a beautiful woman. She stood, tall and elegant, upon his desk. Her long white hair, speckled with black, flowed along with her long white dress. Curled around her shoulders wear white wings.

Harry stared, breathless, at this beautiful woman. Never before had his eyes looked upon such beauty. Golden eyes stared back at him and her lips curved up in a smile.

"Hello, Harry," came the voice of an angel.

"Hedwig…" he spoke softly, unconsciously reaching out for her.

She took his hand in her own, stroking it gently with her thumb.

"You're so beautiful Hedwig. Your voice is so beautiful."

She stepped down onto the floor and turned to face him properly. "I have always spoken with you, Harry. You just haven't heard me."

Harry nodded in understanding. "Well I can understand you now. And we have all class period to talk."

"Ahem."

Harry turned to see the whole class staring at them, Professor McGonagall smiling in a very catlike manner. He blushed and coughed, turning away in embarrassment. Deciding their conversation was best kept private, he retreated to the corner with his feathered friend. There they spoke of many things: the Dursleys, school life, his summer disappearance, Ron's betrayal. Even though he had spoken with her about these things many times in the past, it felt good to get a reply back he could understand. They shared words until another transfigured creature appeared beside them.

"Hello, Harry, Hedwig," came a low purr.

They turned to see a man dressed in long purple robes, trimmed in gold. Smooth, fiery orange hair ran down his back, swishing with each flick of the creature's fluffy tail. His face was thin and pointed in an elegant manner, and his nose was upturned slightly at the tip. The eyes that stared from this face were golden yellow.

Hedwig smiled, "Hello, Crookshanks."

"Crookshanks?" Harry asked, astonished. This handsome man was Hermione's fluffy tom?

"I have been meaning to speak with you for a while, Harry, though you never seem to transform whilst I am around," he spoke, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Harry gave him a confused look.

Crookshanks raised a thin orange brow. "Hmm. So you haven't noticed the animals' voices yet?"

Harry was struck with a sudden memory. Tiny murmuring voices filled his head as he ran through the forest in wolf form. The voices quieted as he neared, then started up again as he passed. He remembered no bird song, no other animal sounds, only the voices.

"Crookshanks, " Harry began. "Can witches and wizards in their animagus forms speak with animals?"

"It is a rare talent, but one I feel you possess." He chuckled. "You've never been one for normality, even in such a strange world."

Harry felt his cheeks grow hot once again. It was true he possessed many extraordinary magical talents, and this often isolated him from his peers, but to be able to speak with animals was something that excited him more that when he spoke to the Brazilian boa constrictor at the zoo. He could now speak with them all.

"Give it a try next time I'm sitting by the fire. It would be nice to speak with a human once in a while. No offense, Hedwig," he turned and bowed his head slightly to his feathered companion, with whom he often conversed.

"It's quite alright, Crookshanks." She bowed in return. "Harry is a worthy companion."

"Alright, alright," Harry muttered. He'd had enough compliments for the day. It was becoming too much.

Crookshanks grinned. "In the meantime," he purred, "Let us converse now."

Harry looked up at the man. "What about Hermione?" he asked.

"Oh, she's busy trying to get Pigwidgeon down from the rafters. The little thing completely freaked when he transformed and fluttered up there, so she's helping Ron."

Harry noticed the expression on the cat's face change when he mentioned the redhead.

"Crookshanks, is Ron trustworthy?" he asked suddenly.

The feline stared at his human friend and answered with a certainty in his voice that scared him. "No."

That night at dinner, Crookshank's judgment ran through his mind like a hamster on a wheel. He trusted the feline, and, coupled with his own assumptions, he was now certain Ron Weasley could not be trusted. And yet he was unafraid. With the ritual he had performed he now had the young man under his thumb. If he betrayed him, he would pay the ultimate price. Harry smirked deviously, almost wishing that he would just for his entertainment.

How deliciously dark.

XxXxX

And there you have it, the revised version of chapter eight. To those of you who enjoyed the sex scene in the previous version, I'm sorry, but it came far too soon. I've decided to let there be bit of angst and romance first before having them jump into sex.

Happy reading.


	9. A Dog's Chain

6/22/10

Hello, everyone. Excited to read? I had fun writing this chapter and sincerely hope you all enjoy it. Thank you to all who have read, reviewed, and placed me on their various lists.

Challenges! 1) Guess which spell Harry used on Ron in the last chapter. 2) Catch the Robot Chicken joke I stuck somewhere in the chapter.

XxXxX

Two weeks after gaining control of the Weasley boy, Harry decided to visit the Dark Lord. He knew he was risking his safety by returning to him, but he couldn't help it. Something pulled him to the other man, a connection he couldn't explain properly to anyone because no one could possibly understand the bond they shared. Darker than blood, deeper than love; strange to him in many ways.

He crept slowly towards the mansion, his senses as alert as they'd ever been. If he ran into Death Eaters, he wasn't sure how they'd react. It was unnerving, the fear he felt for the men and women he had come to see as friends. Even scarier, the thought of possible rejection from the man he most wanted to see.

Getting inside the manor was easy enough, and he quickly made his way to the Dark Lord's bedroom. The door was unlocked, a warning sign he should not have ignored, and he nudged it open with his muzzle. No sooner had he set all four paws inside, was he held in place by a strong magic.

He yelped, surprised, and desperately tried to free himself, but it was useless. He had stepped onto a Rune Circle and could now only move his eyes.

"Hello, Lux," a deep, chilling voice spoke from the darkness.

Harry ceased his movement and focused his eyes in the direction the voice came from. Lord Voldemort stepped from the shadows into the moonlight. Once again, the man's appearance took his breath away. White skin shined like an abalone shell in sunlight and his eyes were a hard crimson, a clear indication of his anger. Had he been able to, Harry would have folded his ears back in fear and sadness. Was this it?

The man stepped in front of him and they locked eyes. Neither knew what to say, or so it appeared from the slight confusion Harry saw in the man's eyes.

Finally, Voldemort spoke. "Lux, why did you leave me?"

Before Harry could even think of a response, he had a wand pointed at him and felt a hot magic coursing through his entire being. He nearly panicked, then remembered what he told himself he'd do if this happened. He focused on his eyes, fangs, claws, and most importantly, his ears and tail. He held onto these areas as hard as he could and soon the spell had ended. When he opened his eyes he was nearly human, still on all fours, and, to his relief, unbound.

He sat on his haunches, as a real transfigured wolf would, and stared up at the man with large, scared eyes, ears pressed back against his skull. He stayed still until the man spoke again.

"Why?"

Harry gulped. '_Time to perform_.'

Wearily, he stepped forward and pressed his nose against the man's hand, as Remus often did to him whilst in wolf form. "Forgive me, My Lord. I _couldn't_ stay."

Harry silently thanked Pubertus his voice had deepened since last they'd spoken.

"What do you mean you 'couldn't'?" the Dark Lord asked harshly, taking his hand away from his pet.

Harry whimpered, honestly trying not to cry. He took a deep breath and composed himself. "My pack. They needed me, Lord. I couldn't stay away from them any longer."

Voldemort's eyes widened slightly. "You have a pack," he stated.

Harry nodded. "Yes, My Lord," he said, then repeated, "They need me."

Without needing an explanation, the Dark Lord understood. "You are the Alpha."

Harry nodded. After all, it was true in a way. He was the leader of the Defense Army, the alpha male. The thought made him blush.

"Why didn't you try to tell me?" Voldemort asked, voice softer this time.

"I didn't know how," he replied honestly. He had been so confused, scared even, about what to do. He didn't want to lose the bond they had developed. He didn't even mind being treated as a pet, as long as he could stay by the Dark Lord's side. These emotions he felt deeply confused him.

"Will you be staying with your pack from now on?"

Harry shook his head. "I want to see you sometimes. I just can't stay all the time."

Voldemort nodded.

"I want to, though," Harry added. Cautiously, he moved and pressed his side softly against the man's legs. A strong hand stroked gently over his ears, making his tail thump in appreciation. "It hurts," he said suddenly.

The hand stopped and Harry shook his head. "Not that. It hurts being away."

"From your pack?"

"From them," Harry agreed. "And from you."

After a moment, the hand began stroking again. "I understand."

Harry looked up at the man with thankful eyes.

"If you must return to them, I will not stop you," he continued. "As long as I get to see you every so often."

"Of course," the boy agreed, nodding. "I like seeing you." He blushed as he realized how true his words were.

"And I you, Lux." Voldemort went over to his bed. "Will you be staying the night, or shall you leave for your territory?"

"I'll stay until dawn," Harry stated, crawling eagerly onto the bed. He immediately snuggled into the man's side. The hand found him again and began stroking his back. Harry sighed in contentment. He would enjoy this while he could.

The next morning, he left for Hogwarts. Apparating made traveling far distances easy and he crept back up to the tower and crawled into his bed an hour before his dorm mates even woke up. No one seemed to have noticed his absence and his day carried on as usual.

That evening, the storm broke. Since the class in which he had transfigured Hedwig, the Slytherins had been teasing and taunting him. He ignored it, as they weren't worth his time, and encouraged his troops to do the same. There was one soldier, however, who couldn't seem to control his anger.

As they were walking to the Great Hall for dinner, they ran into a group of young snakes.

"Hey, Potter!" a fourth year boy shouted at him. "Where's your love bird? Is she off sitting on your eggs?"

"Ew!" the boy's friend exclaimed. "He did his owl? That's sick, mate!"

Harry rolled his eyes and went back on his way. He noticed Ron's hands shaking from his peripheral vision and stiffened. He just knew the boy was going to do something stupid. He was rather good at it, after all.

Then it happened.

"Hey, Potter!"

Quicker than any of them could react, Ron had the young Slytherin pinned to the wall by his throat.

"You think you're funny, do you, you stupid bloody snake?" he growled out through gritted teeth.

"Ron," Harry said in a deep, clear voice. "Release him."

But the irate Weasley ignored him, tightening his grip on the young boy. The Slytherin crawled at the hands clutching him, and the friends of the boy began punching and kicking the large Gryffindor, but Ron was so solid he didn't even notice them. It was like fleas biting a horse.

Harry glared at the scene.

It took maybe a second before a harsh light overcame the hallway. As it died down, everyone saw the fourth year lying on the floor, panting. He quickly recovered, running off the way he came with his friends at his heels.

Ron wasn't fairing as well. He was writhing on the floor, clawing at his chest as though something were trying to burst forth from it. The light that had encompassed the room was seemingly inside the redhead, with what looked like a glowing chain coming from his chest, encircling his hand and connecting to Harry's.

"Ron."

The dying boy looked up at the one who had done this to him.

"Ron, calm yourself."

Ron tried as hard as he could to follow the instructions and soon the light faded. He panted heavily as his heart rate slowed.

Harry sighed, shaking his head and walked on, leaving his underlings to deal with the redhead. He hoped this incedent would teach the boy a lesson in obedience. If not, he wouldn't last long.

The following day, Harry was asked to stay after class by Professor Snape. As his classmates filed out of the room he wondered why this had not occurred earlier, as he knew the man would be suspicious of his sudden improvement in potion skills.

'_Oh well_,' he thought. '_Better late than never_.'

"Mr. Potter," Snape said when all the students had all gone and the door was closed securely. "I have something of great importance to discuss with you."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Something was off.

"I saw you and Mr. Weasley in the hallway last evening," the man stated simply.

Harry clenched his hands into fists, preparing for a vocal and, if need be, physical battle.

"You saw," he replied, not knowing what else to say.

The man said nothing.

"What do you intend to do?" he asked.

"Nothing," the man began, then paused. "For now. I don't trust the headmaster to punish you if I regaled him with my tale. He still sees you as useful and will not allow your expulsion."

Harry bared his teeth. '_So he thinks I'm still his pawn, does he?_'

"I will, however, discuss with you the danger of what you have done. That spell…" Snape shook his head. "How did you come to learn of that spell?"

"Hermione," Harry said as though it were the most obvious answer, and it was.

"Of course. Miss Granger. Only she would teach you something so rare and dangerous."

Harry smiled. "She is quite an impressive witch, isn't she?"

"Indeed," the man agreed, not bothering to deny it.

"While I agree it's a dangerous spell to use," Harry said, getting back to the topic, "It was necessary to control Weasley."

Snape's eyes widened slightly in surprise. While Harry knew he was the only professor not fooled by their act, it was obviously still a shock for him to hear Ron's last name being uttered from his lips instead of his first.

"Ron is an unreliable ally," he continued, "One that requires constant watch. With all the training there is to be done, I can't babysit him and neither can my troops."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Your troops?"

"The Defense Army," Harry said dismissively. "The point is Ron is a dog that needs to be kept on a leash. He won't obey his master otherwise."

"You're beginning to sound like the Dark Lord," Snape said, one of his hands stroking his chin.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "But it's effective. And he finally listens to me, instead of running off on his own, disobeying orders."

"I won't deny that, Mr. Potter, but you'd best be careful. There are many spies inside the school, for both sides."

"Much like yourself?" Harry asked, smirking.

The man's eyes narrowed.

There was another pause before Harry asked, "Sir, is there a specific reason you're not going to tell the headmaster about this?"

The Potions Master looked at his student, apparently thinking hard on what he would say, before replying, "I don't fully trust the man, not anymore. He hasn't been telling me everything and I can tell he has also lied about certain intentions he has. I owe him my life, and have served him well for many years, but I feel it may be time to move away from the Light in order to live up to my own moral standards."

Harry nodded in understanding. He respected the man for doing what he thought was right for himself instead of following Dumbledore blindly.

"A respectable decision, Professor," he said.

"Same to you," the Potions Master replied.

Harry looked at him questioningly.

"You have made the same choice, have you not? You no longer follow the headmaster."

"No, I do not. I see now he was only using me for his own purposes, purposes I do not agree with."

Snape nodded.

"I think…" he began, thinking on whether or not it was a good idea to reveal his plans to this man. "I think I may try a negotiation with Voldemort."

"That is not wise idea. The Dark Lord is not the type of ally someone with your goals would want."

"But I don't think he's as evil as Dumbledore says he is," Harry argued. "Don't get me wrong," he said at the look the man gave him, "he's done some horrible things in the past, but I believe there's still some good left in him."

"And what makes you think that, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked in a suspicious tone.

"Just a feeling," Harry said, turning and walking towards the door. He turned the handle and exited the room. "A strong feeling."

XxXxX

There's chapter nine. I hope you all enjoyed. Feel free to leave a review with any comments you may have.

Until next time, happy reading.


	10. Shocking Realization

9/20/10

Okay, I'm going to be honest with you, readers, I pulled this chapter out of my ass. I have only a few ideas as to where this fic is going aside from a few scenes I imagined in my head during the story's first development. Therefore, it's going to take far longer to write than I had hoped. This chapter could be considered an overly dramatic filler. It's very short, for which I apologize, but it's all I've got right now.

I thank those of you who have reviewed and placed me on their various lists. Thanks for sticking with me, despite my slow pace.

Enjoy.

XxXxX

Harry's visits to Tom grew longer as winter turned into spring. He found himself, in his "human" form, discussing many things with the man. They spoke of their pasts, plans for the future, and, for Tom, how Lux would be involved.

"Once I rule the Ministry," he would say, "you'll be cared for by the whole of its working force. Hundreds of witches and wizards to cater to your needs while I work."

Harry always held his tongue when Tom spoke of such things. He couldn't just tell his master, his friend, that he didn't want that life for himself, that, perhaps, he wasn't cut out to be Minister of Magic. His heart would tighten whenever Tom would talk to him about their future together as the best of companions.

'_I'm betraying him…_' he thought. And his heart would tighten further.

Often times he would lie awake at night, wondering why his heart was reacting like this.

'_It didn't hurt this much when Ron betrayed me in Fourth Year, or when I know I'll be returning to the Dursleys, or any other time. Why is it hurting now?_'

This question he could not answer. All he knew was that when the man was stroking his back, as they lay in bed together before sleep, all those thoughts disappeared until the hand stopped and its owner was asleep.

"I want to be here," he whispered to himself one night before he shifted to return to school. "I want to be next to him, no matter how much it hurts."

He was confused and there was only one person he could ask for help with this matter; his most trusted friend and advisor.

XxXxX

One morning, Harry decided he would do just that. So he got up, forsaking his routine morning shower, and walked down the dorm staircase to find her. As usual, she was seated in front of the fireplace, reading. This time, it appeared to be a book of poetry. Waiting until she finished one page and was turning to the next, Harry spoke.

"Hermione."

The girl turned and looked at him. She was about to give him a cheerful "Good morning" when she saw his eyes.

"What's wrong, Harry?"

He nearly smiled. She was so clever, this girl, so observant. Of course she'd notice something was wrong.

"I need your help with something. Something personal," he said, moving to sit next to her on the couch.

"I'm listening," she said, closing her book and looking directly at him in that way that annoyed others but made Harry feel like he was most important in this moment.

"It's… It's hard to explain," he stated nervously.

"Just try your best."

Harry took a deep breath and began explaining as best he could without giving Tom's identity away.

"I have this friend, a good friend, and he's really amazing. The only problem is that, well… he's a Slytherin."

'_It isn't a lie, really. He's the biggest Slytherin out there, Salazar's heir._'

"So?" Hermione asked. "I'm friends with Theodore Nott and he's a Slytherin."

Harry's eyes widened slightly in surprise at her admission. He had noticed the two talking to each other in class at times, whispering and consulting each others' notes, but he hadn't thought they were that close.

"He's a good person, and very clever," she continued, "I really enjoy spending time with him. This friend of yours sounds nice as well, so why should it matter what house he's in?"

'_Because he's the Dark Lord_," he thought, heart twisting again.

Of course he didn't voice this thought. Instead, he said, "Because his ideals fit those of a typical dark wizard. He says and does things I could never agree with, and yet I can't stay away. Every time I have to say goodbye to him, my heart aches. Every time he talks about his future involving me, I want to cry. And every time he looks at me I…" He couldn't continue, so he stared deep into the fire, trying to clear his thoughts.

This time it was Hermione's eyes that widened. "Harry," she spoke tentatively, "do you love this person?"

Harry nearly fell over in shock. LOVE? How could he be in love with the Dark Lord Voldemort, the man who tortured and killed countless men and women, including his own parents, and who wanted him dead? It just wasn't possible.

Not only were all these things he'd thought about him true, but also he was a man, and man in his seventies, no less! It was true, Harry had been in relationships with both women and men, but this was different. This was wrong. Then he thought hard about that word. Wrong. He didn't feel wrong talking to Tom, he didn't feel wrong when they slept in the same bed, and he felt the opposite of wrong being touched by the man.

He blushed. '_Oh god. Oh god, no!_' He clenched his eyes shut and tried to slow his pounding heart. "I'm in love with him," he said. '_I'm in love with the Dark Lord._'

XxXxX

Harry stopped visiting Tom after that. He told himself it would only be for a few days, but those days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Before he knew it, spring was nearly over and nothing he felt had changed. Could he really never return to Riddle Manor? The idea of never seeing Tom again made him want to howl in sorrow.

'_When did it become like this? How could this possibly happen? He's the Dark Lord, the darkest of all dark wizards. A lying, torturing, murdering snake. How could I fall in love with someone like that? How could I betray my parents?_'

These thoughts and ones similar buzzed about his head as he sat through his classes.

"_I'm so confused_,' he thought, '_Make it stop!_'

And then an idea popped into his head. What if he _could_ make it stop? What if he could erase these feelings and, once again, hate Voldemort?

"It's a long shot," he said to himself, "but it's my only hope…"

XxXxX

And that's it for chapter ten, chapter eleven is going to be more exciting. Please review.

Happy Reading.


	11. A Fool's Endeavor

1/19/11

Three months of no updates is what you people get for pissing me off. If I get any more update requests, even in good nature, I will stop writing for this story. (After receiving insulting and threatening e-mails, can you blame me?)

Thank you to those who wrote actual reviews. I greatly value and appreciate them and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

XxXxX

The pale, ghostlike figure of the Dark Lord stalked the hallways of Riddle Manor. His followers, always watchful of their Master, had begun to fret over him. This was the second month they had watched him wander aimlessly, eyes unfocused, in search of his companion. Though they knew he would deny it, it was Lux that drove his sorrow. It had been weeks since he had seen his wolf friend and he was reasonably concerned.

Wolves died or were killed in the wild everyday. It was perfectly natural. But even with this logical perspective, Tom was worried beyond belief. What, beyond death, could possibly keep Lux away for so long?

It was then that an idea struck him, a reasonable, yet confusingly enraging idea. It was spring. Could Lux have fathered pups? Being the alpha male he would naturally have a mate, and with mates came puppies. This would explain his absence, but not the rage he felt inside. Why was he filled with hate for the female that was paired with his friend? It made no sense to be jealous.

'_Jealous?_ _I'm jealous of the she-wolf? What on earth for? Lux shall always remain my friend. He will always return to me. No female would change that. And yet…_'

He was now even more confused than before. He would have to consult with his most trusted follower. Only then would his mind be at ease.

XxXxX

Severus Snape was a calm man. Being a teacher, he had built up a certain tolerance to stupidity from the ever-flowing river of idiots that drifted through his classroom. But even with this tolerance, the man was having a hard time controlling his temper as he listened to Potter's tale of ignorant teenage love. How could this boy, who had proved to be as cool and calculating as he himself had been as a student, be so stupid as to fall in love with the most dangerous man in their world?

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as the boy was finishing.

"…And so that's why I need you to take care of my memories."

He looked up. "Potter, what on earth are you suggesting?"

"That you remove them. I know you can do it, you're the best legilimens I know."

By now, shock was evident on every inch of his face, a rare sight to behold. It took the man a moment to recover enough to reply. "Potter, messing with the human mind is a dangerous endeavor, even for someone with the proper skills. Invading and blocking memories are one thing, but removing them… There could be irreparable damage."

Harry paled, envisioning himself in a bed at St. Mungo's next to Lockheart, or worse, as a vegetable. He couldn't end up like that. No.

"You understand, don't you?" Snape said, his tone softer. "Nothing is worth risking your mind, not even a situation as unusual as this."

"Unusual…" Harry laughed coldly. "That's my life."

"Did you expect any different?"

Harry looked at the man whom, for the longest time, he had considered his school-long enemy. There was something in his eyes he had never seen before: sympathy. He now recalled the memories he had seen in Snape's pensieve; how the man, then a boy, was teased and tormented for being unusual, and how he, Harry, was treated differently not just by the wizarding community, but also by the muggles before that. Some people were simply unusual; there wasn't anything wrong with him.

"No," he finally said.

Snape then looked directly at Harry and said in complete seriousness, "Let us try to deal with this in a more practical manner."

XxXxX

Later that same evening, Snape received a summons from the Dark Lord. Thinking it best he not inform the headmaster, he donned his plain black cloak and made his way out of Hogwarts, towards Hogsmeade Village. Once outside the school gates, he apparated to the Dark Lord's headquarters and hurried inside.

He was greeted by a house elf who took his cloak and directed him to the second story sitting room where Voldemort sat, staring into the fire blazing in the hearth.

Without instruction, Snape took his place at the Dark Lord's side and bowed low in a submissive greeting. "I came as quickly as I was able, My Lord. The journey from my quarters to the gates is time consuming."

The older man appeared not to have heard, instead continuing to stare at the flames.

"My Lord," Snape said, "I am here. You did request me, did you not?"

Voldemort seemed to snap out of his trance. "…Yes. Yes, I did summon you. I have called to speak to you of a very," he searched for the right words, "personal matter."

Snape, for the second time that day, was shocked. His Master had never discussed personal matters with him or anyone else. Not even Bellatrix, who was such a brown noser to the man Snape was certain she had seen up his arse, could get him to open up to her.

He was so taken aback that he had forgotten to answer the man and so he quickly replied, "Of course, My Lord. My ears are for you."

"I warn you, what I am about to say is quite unusual."

'_There seem to be many unusual things happening lately,_' Snape thought.

And so unusual things were told and heard, and as Snape listened he tried hard to keep his face neutral. The things he was hearing were incredible, illogical, and impossible. The Dark Lord was in love with Harry Potter. This idea would have made him faint were he not aware of the fact that Voldemort didn't know his wolf was actually the boy. He was indeed quite certain that, were the man to find out, Potter's life would be immediately extinguished.

But it was still the strangest thing he had ever heard. Even stranger than Potter telling him he was in love with Voldemort, as the man had never been known to be in love in all his years. Could the impossible really have happened? Could the Dark Lord be in love?

When asked what to do, Snape had no real, sure answer. He couldn't tell his Master to pursue the boy, as he was, to the Dark, a normal wolf and telling a man he should woo an animal was simply so wrong in his mind. He could tell him the wolf was Harry, but again there was the issue of Potter's life being extinguished.

He sighed inwardly and decided to be honest. "I do not know what you should do, My Lord."

"Neither do I. It is so troublesome, the human heart. I thought for certain I had rid myself of my humanity long ago,"

"Those born human stay human, if only in small pieces, My Lord."

Voldemort was quiet for a long while before replying, "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"My Lord, whatever is your decision, I shall assist you as best I can," Snape said, bowing low.

Another pause and a devious smile alighted the man's face. "Perhaps there is a way you could help."

XxXxX

It had been a week since Harry had visited Snape and had been told off for his reckless thoughts, so he was quite surprised when an owl came for him from the Potions Master requesting his presence after dinner. Could the man perhaps have changed his mind? Had he discovered another, safer way to remove his memories? He hurried his eating and made to prepare for the visit. He wanted to look and smell proper in the presence of his possible saviour.

After a quick shower and shave, he dressed in his non-school clothes and made his way down into the dungeons. He reached the potions classroom and knocked three times.

"Enter," came the man's voice from inside.

He opened the door and peeked into the dark room. "You wished to speak with me, Professor?"

"I did. Come and sit down."

Harry did as instructed and sat, looking up at the stoic man. He seemed troubled. "Sir?"

"The Dark Lord is in love with Lux."

Harry eyes widened and his voice caught in his throat.

"I can see you are shocked. So was I. However, I am not lying; he loves Lux and is under the impression that if you remain in your human form, you will not return to your 'pack,' and stay with him."

After five minutes of silence, Harry finally let out a strangled, "Huh?"

"He is going to slip Lux a potion that will keep you in your humanoid form."

Harry blinked. "And you agreed to this insane endeavor? You're going to let him keep me like a human pet?"

"I said no such thing. I am merely informing you of his intentions."

"You're warning me?" Harry asked, to which the man nodded. He gave it a bit of thought. "Perhaps it would be better to let him think I'm dead. Wolves die in the forest every day, it wouldn't be unusual."

"That would be wise…"

"But?"

"This may seem very odd for me to say, but I feel bad for the man. He has lost nearly all will."

Harry must have looked as surprised as he felt.

Severus sighed. "Such is the power of love."

"Love seems far more trouble than it's worth."

"I used to think so."

Harry looked at him curiously. "What do you think now?"

"Honestly?"

The boy nodded.

Severus looked at his feet. "I think it's precious and shouldn't be wasted."

As Harry made his way back to Gryffindor Tower, he thought hard on his feelings. He had a very important decision to make.

'_This is going to be one long night_.'

XxXxX

That's it for now. My eyes are so strained they sting.


	12. Call Him By His Name

7/22/11

Apparently some of my readers don't understand the concept of reverse psychology. If you tell someone, especially someone as stubborn and head strong as me, to do something, it makes that person not want to do it. So stop telling me to update unless you really don't want me to.

To those of you who said so good-naturedly or wrote actual reviews, I thank you. This chapter is for you. Enjoy.

**Warning!**: This chapter contains sexual content. (**XXX**)

XxXxX

Harry was nervous. Although he had always done everything in his power to make sure he was unrecognizable to the Dark Lord, including dressing all in black and removing his fake glasses and the charms he had placed on himself to make him look like the old Harry, he was still constantly worried the man would discover his identity. Now, tonight, Voldemort planned on making his wolf self permanently human and he was frantically preparing for the occasion.

Professor Snape had allowed Harry to smell the potion the Dark Lord would be using so that he could easily recognize it. He had, of course, thanked him profusely.

"I don't know what I'd do without your help," he had sighed. "Thank you."

Snape nodded. "It is my duty as your professor to look after you."

"You didn't have to, though. I'm indebted to you."

"Potter, there is really no need. I don't want you running about, trying to repay me."

Harry laughed. "'Running about'?"

Snape did not retort, but instead surprised him by saying, "Be careful."

He smiled. "I will."

And he was off to face his fate.

The wind blew lightly as he ran through the woods that surrounded the manner. It felt good flowing through his fur and carried to his ears the whispers of the animals. He loved them now that he realized what the noises were; and even though he was running too quickly to listen, they calmed him. He was in nature, he was a part of nature, and he was free.

That is until he reached Riddle Manor. Entering the large, luxurious mansion meant giving himself to the Dark. He was a pet, the property of the man he both loved and feared. While being "owned" had never appealed to him in the past, he now found himself more than open to the idea. Voldemort was a possessive man after all; he must be an even more possessive lover.

Harry's cheeks flushed and he shook his head. '_Calm down, Potter, head out of the gutter._'

Silently, he made his way inside, careful to avoid the Death Eaters. Tonight he was there for Tom and only Tom. Up the stairs, two flights, down the hallway to the right to the Dark Lord's room... He nudged the door open with his muzzle and padded inside where his Master was waiting for him, sitting at a small table he used for tea. Upon it was an array of small plates piled with meats. They smelled divine.

Voldemort, seated in a chair closest to the wall, smiled at him and used his wand to transfigure him into his semi-human self. Once transformed, Harry crawled to the man and nuzzled his hand. "Good evening, My Lord."

The hand moved to pet him, stroking behind his ears. "Sit, Lux."

He sat, staring up at the man with a happy-go-lucky expression only a canine could pull off.

Voldemort chuckled and said, "No, no, My Pet, on the chair."

'_Oh!_' Harry blushed and moved to sit on the chair facing him.

"Eat," the man said. "It's all for you."

Harry both acted and was excited. The aromas wafting at him from this feast made his tail thump wildly. He was so interested in the food that he nearly forgot to smell for the potion. Luckily the piece of manipulated meat was easy to sniff out. It was the sweet, tender piece of steak closest to him. Acting like a natural wolf would, he bent down and sniffed at it, giving cautious pause and whimpering slightly. The act had begun.

Voldemort watched him and was shocked when Lux sniffled. He was crying.

"What's wrong, my pet?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

Harry looked up, crocodile tears pooling in his eyes. "W-why?"

"Why what, Pet?" Voldemort asked, leaving his chair to stand by his lovely wolf.

"Why did you put poison on the meat?"

The man's eyes widened in realization; Lux had smelt the potion and mistook it for poison. He thought he was trying to kill him.

"No, no, no," he denied, shaking his head. "It's not poison, My Pet. It's merely a potion to keep you in human form."

Harry sniffled, the tears falling down his cheeks. "P-…potion?"

"Yes. I want you to stay in human form."

"Why?" Harry asked, cocking his head to one side.

Voldemort leaned in, placing his cheek on his own. "Because I want you to stay with me."

Harry was silent for a moment, thinking up his next move. "But I do stay with you. I always come back to you."

"I want you with me always, Lux. I want you to never leave."

"But…" Harry started. "But my pack."

"The wolves can easily find other leadership. Lux, please."

He could tell the man was becoming desperate and it made his heart pound heavy in his chest. What was he supposed to do? He could hear Snape's voice in his head. "_Foolish boy, you need to plan ahead._" It was a little late for that now, though… Before he could even speak another word, however, he found his Lord's lips on his own. His heart jumped and he nearly fainted. He was being kissed!

Harry's head swam with thoughts while his heart swam with emotion. He felt as though he would burst before the kiss was through. '_I should push away_,' he thought. But he didn't. Instead he kissed back, pressing himself as close as he could against the older man. He felt arms wrap around his waist and pull him from his seat before his feet were swept out from under him.

**XXX**

Voldemort carried him over to the large, comfortable bed he was now used to laying on. Tonight, though, oh tonight it was different. Tonight would be more than simple companionship. The thought made him stiffen and blush, and as he was laid down on the silky sheets, he covered his excitement in a deliciously innocent way. Every move he made seemed to entice the man above him and it made him squirm.

Harry could tell by the way his Lord's tongue ran from his jaw, down his neck to his collarbone that the Dark Lord had taken lovers before. This fact made Harry incredibly jealous yet happy at the same time, as the man's experience made the ministrations very pleasurable. He gasped as his robe was pulled open and his nipples caressed, collarbone being sucked on softly. How could these small touches make him react so largely?

By the time Voldemort was parting the bottom of his robe he was rock hard. The man smirked at him playfully; obviously loving the effect he was having on the boy, and leaned in to nibble at his thighs. Harry moaned, his legs twitching with each small bite. The man was torturing him.

"Master," he panted, staring at up at him with desire. "Please…"

The man chuckled. "Be patient, love. You're not yet ready for me," he said before chanting a cleaning charm. Harry watched as he licked his long, skeletal fingers and inserted one inside of him. The sudden invasion made him gasp and whimper. It had been a while since anything had been inside him and it felt odd. His Lord nuzzled his leg as he began moving the finger in and out, waiting until he relaxed before adding a second and scissoring his passage. When he was loose enough for something larger to fit, the fingers left him and his Master began to disrobe.

Harry watched with a deep blush on his cheeks as the man he loved undressed. He had seen him change from his day clothes into his night clothes before, but this was something different entirely. This time there would be no clothing change, just pure, bold nudity. Voldemort didn't seem to mind. As soon as he was free of the cloth, he immediately made his way over to Harry. He sat before his wolf with love and lust in his eyes, and his hand reaching out to him.

Harry moved to lean his head on the palm, sitting as a subservient beast before the man. Voldemort pet his head before moving his fingers to his lips. "Lux."

He needn't say anymore. Harry understood what the man wanted and immediately obliged. He leaned down and gently lapped at the head of his Master's cock like he would one of his tasty treats. It didn't taste like the bits of jerked meat he usually received, but the moans it elicited from his love's throat made it an even greater gift. Wanting to hear more of those sounds, he took the flesh deep into his throat, working his tongue around it as he moved up and down. Voldemort shivered, clearly loving what Lux was doing. His mouth was magical.

Before getting too close to the edge, the Dark Lord gently pushed Harry's mouth off of him. He looked up, green orbs glistening with excitement, and quickly turned around. He presented himself as a female wolf would to a male, tail wagging in anticipation. His love didn't waste any time, muttering a charm before entering him from behind.

He gasped, feeling as though a tree branch were being pushed inside of him. Of course he knew this was an exaggerated thought, but when you were as slim as him, it certainly felt like it. Luckily he was relaxed enough for the man to slip in easily. He swished his tail against his lover's stomach as he moved slowly in and out. He loved how it felt.

As the pace quickened, Voldemort hit that sensitive bundle of nerves inside of him, making him moan loudly. He pushed back on the man harder, wanting more of that amazing feeling. The man obliged, hitting it over and over again. He moaned loudly.

"Voldemort!"

The Dark Lord seemed to pause at this and Harry whimpered, pushing himself back against the man's cock to encourage movement.

"Lux," he suddenly said, and Harry looked back at him. "Call me Tom."

A feeling of great shock overcame him, overriding the pleasure. "Tom..?"

Voledort nodded. "It is my real name. Call me by it."

Harry nearly began crying with joy. His heart soared. "Tom."

The man began moving again and Harry moaned. "Tom. Tom!"

He moved faster, hitting Harry's sweet spot with each thrust. He was going to loose it. It was too quick, too soon, but he couldn't help it. "**Tom!**" Harry came hard, his seed spurting over his stomach and chest, dripping down onto the sheets. Voldemort continued his thrusting a good few minutes more before emptying himself inside the boy.

**XXX**

When the man was done he lay next to Lux on the bed and pulled him close. Harry snuggled into the warmth of his chest.

"I love you, Tom."

"I love you, too, Lux."

And with those words they slept, wrapped in each other's embrace.

XxXxX

I hope you all enjoyed. Review if you'd care to.


	13. A Midnight Chat

3/27/12

Hey, everyone. I want to formally apologize for taking so long to update and for my aggression in past Author Notes. People constantly telling me to/asking me for updates is one of my pet peeves, so I got really upset. Still, I should not have taken it out on my other readers. I'm sorry.

This chapter is dedicated to **Siblings-Curse**. Thanks to all who read and reviewed. Enjoy. :)

_Italics_ – animagus/animal talk

XxXxX

Harry crept up the stairs and into Gryffindor Tower, his paws padding silently with each step. He looked around, a bit confused as to how he had made it back; his mind was in a dreamy mist. The Dark Lord had taken him. He grinned a wolfy grin as he said the password and walked through the Portrait Hole.

"_Well, well, well… Someone got some action last night._"

He turned to see Crookshanks sitting on a couch by the fire and padded over. "_Good morning_," he said, sitting on the rug before his furry friend.

"_Good morning to you, too. Though my wishes are clearly not needed_," he said, grinning sensually at the boy. Harry blushed. "_So, how was it?_"

He could only stay silent mere moments before busting into happy barks. "_Oh, Crookshanks, he was __**wonderful**__! I've never had sex like that before!_"

The cat chuckled. "_That good, eh? Lucky boy._"

"_The luckiest…_" he sighed dreamily, tail wagging.

"_So_," Crookshanks asked curiously, "_Who was it you slept with?_"

Harry shuffled his front paws nervously at the question, but saw no reason why he shouldn't answer. The listener was, after all, a trusted friend, and cat at that. "_...L-..Lord Voldemort..._"

"_Voldemort! My, my... I never thought I'd see the day when two such enemies would bed one another._"

Harry's happiness suddenly deflated. What his friend said was true; he and Voldemort were enemies, and enemies were not supposed to be lovers. It couldn't last. He felt a paw on his shoulder and looked up into kind eyes.

"_Do not be discouraged, pup. There is always a way for happiness to be found._"

"_But-!_"

"_No buts_," Crookshanks scolded. "_So you've fallen for the most evil wizard in history? All that shows is that you have a kind, forgiving heart._"

Harry was about to thank the cat when both heard a sound. It was so tiny a mouse could have made it, but mice don't gasp… They looked in the direction of the noise to see the end of a bushy tail poking out from the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory. They didn't have to wait long for half a head with two glowing eyes to reveal itself, before quickly ducking back behind the wall.

"_We know you're there,_" Harry barked. "_Show yourself!_"

Cautiously, another cat made its way from the shadows, ears back and tail poofed in fright. "_I-I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have eavesdropped._"

Harry's eyes widened. He'd know that voice anywhere. "_Hermione?_"

The brown cat nodded. Slowly and gracefully she made her way toward them, leapt onto the couch, and sat next to her familiar. Harry took a moment to take in her appearance. She was a cat of slightly less than average size with medium length chestnut brown fur on her body and long fur on her head, cheeks and tail. Her eyes were warm amber with a small circle of brown surrounding slit pupils. Around her neck dangled the golden Timeturner they had used back in their third year. Yes, this cat was definitely Hermione.

"_I never knew you were an animagus, Hermione_," he said in wonder. "_How long have you been able to shift?_"

"_I mastered the technique quite recently, actually. I've been attempting to teach it to our D.A. soldiers whenever you're absent._"

Harry blushed in embarrassment. "_Why didn't you tell me? I can help them all shift easily._"

The young cat sniffed before explaining, "_I thought they would be less nervous shifting without a wolf animagus around. Some of them are bound to be smaller creatures and would instinctually fear you._"

Something hit him then. "_Is that why you seemed so scared of me when I barked?_" She nodded and his ears drooped. "_Oh, Hermione, I'd __**never**__ hurt you. You've got to believe me._"

"_I know you wouldn't, Harry_," she said, bringing her head down to nuzzle his. "_It's just instinct, please don't take offense._"

He nuzzled back and nodded, taking comfort in the reassurance of his friend. It was then that he heard a light rumbling noise coming from her; it started low, and then became very loud. She was purring. He looked up and noticed Crookshanks licking her ears, comforting her and she had Harry.

'_She must have been pretty scared…_' he thought. It was then in that moment that he decided he would never scare her or any of his troops with his form.

XxXxX

The next day brought a barrage of classes, Potions among them, and he could see the obvious look of relief flash over his professor's face as soon as he entered the room. Harry was touched by the man's concern for him. Over the past few weeks they had gone from being heated enemies, to allies, to friends and he now saw the Potions Master as a type of father figure. It was for this reason that Harry desperately wanted to make him proud. Making good decisions was one way for him to do that and, judging by the look he had seen on the man's face, he had made the right choice in returning.

He eagerly sat at his desk and took out his cauldron, pen and paper. Potions was now one of Harry's favorite classes and he loved showing off his new skills to the Professor and his fellow students. Malfoy, whom at first had been angry at his rising skill level, now seemed to accept it and even occasionally tried to strike up a conversation with him whenever they'd gather ingredients from the supply closet together. It wasn't friendship, but it was a start. Ron on the other hand seemed even more jealous of his so-called friend's accomplishments and refused to listen to Hermione's words of reason. Harry was a bit sad over it, but he couldn't force Ron to like him in the way he used to; friendship didn't work that way. As long as the boy obeyed orders he didn't see the behavior as much of a problem, though.

Finishing up the day's potion, he poured, corked, and labeled his work to take to the front desk. "I'm done with my potion, Professor," he said, placing the vial into the man's waiting hand.

Snape looked the potion over and nodded his approval. "Very well, Mr. Potter, you may return to your desk."

Harry smiled as he sat down, anticipating the request to speak with him that was sure to come.

X

That evening at dinner Harry immediately noticed his mentor's absence from the Great Hall. He sat, trying his best not to let the disappointment show on his face, and began serving himself. Ron joined him, followed soon after by Hermione who smiled warmly at him.

"You did very well today," she said. "Professor Snape didn't say one negative comment."

"S'a bloody miracle," Ron grumbled, shoving a turkey leg in his mouth.

Harry frowned. "You know, Ron-"

"Stop, Harry. Just stop."

He closed his mouth at Ron's glare.

"I don't need you or Hermione telling me I 'need to study more.' I know my grades aren't as good as yours, but I'm not stupid."

"I never called you stupid, Ron," Harry replied calmly. "I was just going to offer to help tutor you."

The redhead's eyes narrowed. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you were my friend once," he said sadly.

Ron fell silent.

X

After dinner, Harry decided to seek out the potions professor. He had expected the man to request his presence via owl, but said request never came, leaving him disappointed and worried. This wasn't Snape's usual behaviour.

As he rounded the corner closest to Snape's office, he heard two very familiar voices conversing, Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy. Both were speaking in hushed tones, one calm, the other frantic. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, despite his now increased senses, so he decided to shift. Within seconds he heard Malfoy's normally low, sardonic voice raised with what was clearly fear.

"I don't know what to do. Father insists I take the Mark the night of my birthday, he says I have no excuse not to follow the Dark Lord. But… Uncle Sev, I don't want to!"

Harry's eyes widened in shock. Draco was going to be forced to take the Mark? While he loved the Dark Lord, he understood completely his reluctance to follow the man. He was, after all, criminally insane, asking far too much of his followers and torturing and killing those who disobeyed. This reminder left a strong ache in his chest.

"I understand, Draco, but there is little I can do. I cannot go against your father's wishes."

"Please, Severus," the boy pleaded, "You're my only hope. You can ask Dumbledore-"

"It's far too suspicious," Snape scolded. "The Dark Lord will know it was I who helped you, and he will likely execute me for it."

Harry could feel the tension radiating from the two inside the room.

"Is there nothing you can do…to help me..?" Draco asked, sounding defeated.

After a few moments, the man replied, "I can do nothing."

He smelt salt water. The poor snake was crying.

"But another might be able to."

Both Harry and Draco perked at this.

"Who?" he asked.

"Harry Potter."

XxXxX

And there you have chapter thirteen. I wanted to start including Draco more in this story, as he's one of my favorite snobby Slytherins. I'm also a big DM/HP fan, so I may include a little of that in later chapters. ;) Review if you care to.


End file.
